I have just arrived in the northern city of Dharamsala. This is the home of the Tibetan Government in exile and also the Dali Lama's abode. It is very nice here because the weather is finally cool and the town is quiet and very green. There is less noise and pollution here than in any other Indian city I have visited thus far. Also, there are a ton of western tourists here and I am sharing a room with a man from Amsterdam whom I met on the bus yesterday. I think I am going to stay here for several days as it seems to be a very relaxing place. May get some massages, go for some hikes, and listen to some lectures on meditation and Buddhism. Unfortunately the Dali Lama is out of the country right now, but he will be back in a few weeks and will be delivering some teachings in English. I may travel around for a bit and then return in two weeks time to hear what the master has to say. In the mean time I hope to do some more traveling around this Himalayan region and hopefully squeeze in some long hikes, some whitewater rafting, and maybe even a few horse rides through the mountains.
I was in Amritsar the past few days and enjoyed my time there. This is the holiest city for followers of Sikhism and is the location of the Golden Temple. The Golden Temple is a beautiful structure that appears to float upon the middle of a man made lake at the center of the complex. Each day tens of thousands of Sikhs visit the temple to pray and ceremoniously bath in the water. As part of the complex, the Sikhs have made it very easy for all to access the site by providing meals and dorms open for all faiths and all visitors. So I joined the hungry masses in the dining halls where they serve 30,000 meals a day and stayed in the foreigners dorm. All of these services are provided free of charge, but a small donation is accepted. I think this is a testament to the inclusiveness of the Sikh religion which is an amalgamation of Hinduism and Islam. I don't quite understand the religious philosophy, but they are a hard working lot and very friendly and I would recommend that everyone take a trip to the Golden Temple of Amritsar if ever given the chance.
I was in Amritsar the past few days and enjoyed my time there. This is the holiest city for followers of Sikhism and is the location of the Golden Temple. The Golden Temple is a beautiful structure that appears to float upon the middle of a man made lake at the center of the complex. Each day tens of thousands of Sikhs visit the temple to pray and ceremoniously bath in the water. As part of the complex, the Sikhs have made it very easy for all to access the site by providing meals and dorms open for all faiths and all visitors. So I joined the hungry masses in the dining halls where they serve 30,000 meals a day and stayed in the foreigners dorm. All of these services are provided free of charge, but a small donation is accepted. I think this is a testament to the inclusiveness of the Sikh religion which is an amalgamation of Hinduism and Islam. I don't quite understand the religious philosophy, but they are a hard working lot and very friendly and I would recommend that everyone take a trip to the Golden Temple of Amritsar if ever given the chance.
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