This is a report from Kunga Gyaltsen, a friend of mine, who is at the moment in Tibet with Lama Karma Thinley Rinpoche and I thought that his story might be of interest for you. Here it is:
'Today KTR made the long journey over some very high passes (4,700 metres), to visit his birthplace.
Rinpoche was born in the Bongsar Palace at a place called Yeyang Sumdo, in the high mountain grasslands of Nangchen, Kham.
The palace no longer exists, and the Bongsar family have recently erected a large stupa there to mark the spot.
Behind
and above the palace there was a retreat centre, for monks, nuns and
family members to do long retreats. This has recently been restored by
Beru Khyentse Rinpoche.
The
highest and most powerful mountain on the ancient Bongsar lands is the
Jowo Menpa Tsesum, the three-peaked Lord of Medicines. It is famous for
the many medicinal herbs that grow on its slopes.
This
picture shows the stupa built on the very place where KTR was born. His
birth was marked by a white rainbow appearing above the house. In the
background is the Jowo Mountain in all its glory.
The altitude of this place is about 4,000 metres!
KTRs neice Onyo, handing out the tsampa and yoghurt.
Our picnic was in a carpet of edelweiss.
Close
to the site of Rinpoche's birth is an inconspicuous hillside, behind
him in this picture. This is the site of the monastery called Sharyak
Dorje Ling. It was the monastery that belonged to Rinpoche's previous
Sakya incarnation, Beru Kunrig. It had already fallen into disuse in the
1950s. Rinpoche plans to build a small commemorative stupa here.
The
road passes through a long narrow gorge. This roadside shrine has been
recently installed by locals. The Mani wheels are water driven. The
images are carved into the rock and painted.
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