On your way back to Bangalore from
Coorg, ask anyone for the route to the Golden Temple and take a right into this
magical world.
6-feet high, lush green corn fields
greet you on either side as you drive through this picturesque world of
Kushalnagara.
Kushalnagara is a Tibetan
settlement, set up when Indira Gandhi was the Prime Minister of India. As you
drive by, you see a distinct cultural difference – the people, the houses, the
landscape, the smells and the language. But what catches your eye the most are
the colourful Tibetan flags (in red, blue, green and yellow) with scriptures on
them. Every house, every tree, every field has dozens of these flags.
As you look up to the horizon, a
golden top glistens in the sun. That’s the top of the Golden Temple
(Namdroling). This is the biggest attraction for most tourists, and
unfortunately for the monks, it almost resembles Tirupati in peak season.
Sera Jey |
Frustrated with the noise and the
crowd, we decided to head deeper into the narrow lanes of Kushalnagara. As we
drove deeper into this quaint world, there stood the massive Sera Jey monastery.
Entrance of Sera Jey |
It was empty. Not a soul in sight. Not
a sound in the distance – except the chiming bell.
As we walked into Sera Jey we
realized just what silence was. With absolutely no clutter in your heads when
you explore, the world seems like such a different place! Around the monastery
it’s the intricacy of their art that hits your eye. Detailed sculpting, vibrant
colours and a golden aura surround you.
Inside the monastery |
We were the only people in Sera Jey.
One of the monks opened the doors for us. And as we stepped inside the
monastery, a surreal wave of calm overcame us. We sat there for about half an
hour and satisfied with ourselves we decided to explore more of this
settlement. To our astonishment, every lane ended with a monastery! Each as
beautiful, as regal and emptier than the previous one!
So the next time you’re driving back
from Coorg, take a breather and walk into any of these monasteries. I assure
you, it’s a feeling you can’t put a finger on.
By Medini Mangala