ICE STUPA ON 2nd JUNE, THE LADAKHI BUDDHA PURNIMA
According to the Ladakhi/Tibetan calendar today is Buddha’s birth anniversary and devotees pay a holy visit to all the temples and monasteries in Ladakh. I went to the Phyang monastery and then to the Ice Stupa to see how the ice was doing in June.
Although the Ice Stupa was ageing as expected, with the ice now well hidden and shaded under the bushes, what thrilled me most was… to find a kind of ecosystem developing around the ageing ice stupa. The 5000 trees were all becoming greener and greener and there were birds of several types hopping from tree to tree.
The most beautiful was the solitary magpie that had made its mud-house in the safety of the Ice Stupa bushes. I spent some time marveling and taking photographs of the bird in the nest from a distance, so as not to disturb her. And whisphered to her… ‘by the way madam! I am also a mud house builder.’
Wish you all a very peaceful and happy Buddha Purnima.
SW