Thursday 29th December
This morning I am have trouble connecting to the internet again. I try to avoid being too bothered by this but remain conscious that it means that I can’t get on with some of the on line work I had hoped to do today.
Yesterday I visited a region in South Delhi called Kalkaji where there are two Buddhist temples. This came about through my contact with a Bhikkhu named Mangaljyoti who I met when Dharmavidya and I were in Delhi last December. This worked out well since finally the carpenter was here to hang the last four doors, meaning that I could see a dusty and noisy day ahead if I remained at the flat. To get to the area in which the temples are located I took the Dehli Metro from Shahdara via Kashmiri Gate and Central Secretariat to Govind Puri. The latter route follows closely the Yamuna and affords a wonderful view of both National Zoological park and the famous Baha’i ‘Lotus Temple’ (House of Worship). This is rather stunning, a gleaming white lotus inspired building, the shape of the marble clad petals reminiscent of the Sydney Opera House. It is the Mother temple for the Baha’i faith in the Indian subcontinent. Built in the 1986 it has won many architectural awards and has become one of the most visited buildings in the world surpassing that of the Taj Mahal and the Eiffel Tower.
Image from Wikipedia
The journey proved straightforward. Aside from the tendency for Indians to push and shove more than I am used to I find the Metro system, in contrast to the other modes of transport I use here, a comfortable and easy way to travel. I put this down to the familiarity with the London Underground and that the clearly designed map and signage. After a wait of about half an hour, watching the very busy traffic on the Anandma Marg. – a major route out from the centre of Delhi - I was picked up from the station by someone on a motorbike, and thence to the temple ten minutes away. The temple is a large building on a fair sized plot of land, a small room to the right side – Mangaljyoti’s living quarters - and a wash room and toilet block to the left. Mangaljyoti seem pleased to see me, greeting me warmly and taking me to the shrine inside the temple to make an offering. Afterwards we go to his room where I meet two other monks, Dhammalankar who presides over the second temple in the area, and the other Tissa visiting from Guwahati. I learn that Dhammalankar is a Chakma from Mizoram, ordained as a novice there when twelve years of age and has been in Delhi to study as well as look after the temple for the last five years.
Dhammalankar, me (Jnanamati) and Mangaljyoti
The four of us talk about Buddhism in this area, about the paucity of their lives here and the limited interest local lay Buddhists have in learning about the Dharma. Thus only adult family members will come to the temple and only when something significant like a death has occurred. We discuss the idea of reaching out into the communities and I share some of the ways Amida has approached engaging Buddhist families in the areas we have been involved in. Much of this is somewhat alien to the culture of Theravadin Buddhism and I can read some of this in the quizzical looks I receive. However these are young monks and it appears that they have been talking about the issue of how they can reach out when there are forums with fellow monks residing in the Delhi area. This seems a hopeful sign but one that I have to place against the picture that I form of these young men, simply performing a monks duties whilst their main investment for being here is to further their education. Its difficult to blame them for this, after all often the areas they come from have not afforded such opportunities and they are otherwise being deployed in areas where Buddhism is only practiced by a small number of people. The other factor is that they are alone residing in the temples they have responsibility for and have no contact with their teachers unless they return to visit their home regions. Dhammalankar tells me that he receives a stipend of R1000 (about £12) per month, a pittance barely subsidised by a few items that are received from the public. In large part – unlike other monasteries in Theravadin Buddhist countries in the east who are fed by the lay followers – the monks have to provide for their own food needs and cook for themselves.
I did feel an ease around these monks as well as some sympathy for the challenges they face. Dhammalankar, Tissa and I left Mangaljyoti after about two hours or so to visit the other temple. Both monks offered for me to stay the night, which this time I declined, and gave me gifts from their limited possessions. I arrived back in Ashok Nagar at around seven-thirty to find the new doors fitted. Bupendar was sweeping the wood shavings up from the floor and Prakash sitting at the computer chatting with someone on line. About fifteen minutes after my return Dhammalankar calls on the phone to check that I have arrived back safely. I thank him and we resolve to meet again in the next week or so.
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