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Norbulingka Institute
I visited India and Nepal for the first time on a Buddhist pilgrimage led by Shantum Seth in 2007. The following — which I wrote in a travel journal in Dharamshala, India — is from my 2008 trip.
Some of us climbed into the taxis but others walked to the next place: the Norbulingka Institute. It was only about a mile away. I greatly enjoyed the walk, on such a beautiful and bright sunny day. On the left side of the narrow dirt road, we passed cows standing around and chewing their cud at a barnyard. On the right side, we passed fields of yellow flowers, bright green tall grass, and some idyllic trees. While I admired the scenery and took photos, John and Lynn got so far ahead of me that John became concerned and went back to make sure I didn’t get lost. I think someone else was quite a bit behind me. The view and route seemed flat compared to the valley and dizzying roads we’d been using in Dharamshala.
The Norbulingka Institute, a beautiful and idyllic place where Tibetan arts and crafts are taught and kept alive, is a registered trust under the leadership of the Dalai Lama, and it preserves Tibetan culture. This complex includes offices and reception, guest house, café, workshops, academy for Tibetan culture, Deden Tsukhang (the Seat of Happiness Temple), Norling Arts Shop, and the Losel Doll Museum.