WHERE I AM FROM

"THE NEW GENERATION OF THE LAND OF SNOWS, WE ARE MARCHING TOGETHER" – WATERFALL OF YOUTH BY DHONDUP GYAL

 

WHERE I AM FROM

December 23, 2015 by Lhakar Diaries

[Guestpost by Tenzin Desel ]

I am from the mesmerizing snowcapped mountains,

The perennial rivers, the tall pines,

The blooming rhododendrons, the gnarled trees,

The winding cobbled street.

I am from swishing cool breezes,

Kingdom of majestic birds.

As they glide,

In the freedom flooding the sky,

Conquer the green, lush hill station,

Under their far stretched wings.

I am from Dharamsala,

As it is beautifully known,

Sits on the top of a rounded hillock,

Peering down on the valleys

And slithering rivers,

Loitering across the vast green fields.

Dogs, cats, cows wander on the roads,

Birds, monkeys peering over the earth

Unperturbed by the existence of humanity.

I’m from the place,

Where the peace prevails.

Not so far away from my place,

down in the valley

Sits a rural village,

Girdled with agricultural land,

On top lies blanket of sunflowers,

Tossing side to side in the wind.

I am from diversity of people,

Indians, the Himalayan people, Hippies and Irish,

Settled on the mountains.

But I am someone,

With a deep rooted trait,

Personality, culture and identity, so different,

From the larger social world.

I am from a community,

Within the Indian community,

I am from the place,

Of Tibetan refugees.

I am from the language,

So ancient and archaic.

I am from a lost country,

Deteriorated by the red Chinese.

I am from the healthy wheat and barley,

Noodles and rice and dumplings.

But I have a home away from home.

I’m from the world of spirituality,

Profound religion, statues of Buddha,

The monasteries, the prayers flags,

Wooden carved altars.

I am from a culture of compassion

Peace, mindfulness, and courtesy.

Besides the altar,

Is the dangling wall pocket

In which lies my dad’s wooden rosaries,

Prayers books,

Buddha’s’ painting scrolls,

Butter lamps, bowls of rice as the offerings,

For the Buddha,

I am from a pious Buddhist family.