I’ve been in Lumbini a week and a day now – and starting feel like I’m getting into some sort of routine although not sure if it’s ideally what I want to do. I don’t have a lot of duties to occupy my self as yet with so have to fill my day with various diversionary activities.
The first few days with 3 lunches in a row out has settled down to the normal day to day of centre life.
I went to an interesting lunch last week to the Maha Bodhi Temple to farewell the head monk there and welcome in the new one. They were both so lovely. I was one of three women – the other two being one of the nuns form the Chinese temple who arrived on her motor scooter and the other one was Nwe Mu the older (42)of the two Burmese women helpers who have been here for about a year – the younger one (35) being Mo Thu. They are both lovely – I am their Shin or Didi – sister in Burmese or Nepali. We fool around a bit and have a laugh together and I am trying to add to my very small collection of Burmese words as well as learn a few more Nepali words too –a bit confusing. My mind seems to drop only just after saying them. The Burmese language and me – despite having many years exposure to it on and off – have a difficult time.
Anyway back to the Mahabodi temple. There were many monks from all the temples around the Lumbini area who sat together outside and chatted in the sun before lunch. Then they were invited to come inside and sit at two long tables facing each other across a wide space in the centre. We three women stood around wondering what they were going to do with us. Finally three chairs were placed on the opposite side of one table facing inwards to some young Tibetan monks, who I had a little chat with. They were a bit shy and didn’t speak much English. It was very dark in this room and hard to see much less take a photo. But the Sri Lankan monks together with some Nepali workers handed out a variety of dishes to all the seated assembly, including the women. It was the first time I had been waited on by monks – they were very gracious. I also was given, as all the guests were 2 cakes of soap – Lifebuoy and Camay - and an envelope containing 100 Indian rupees A few speeches in Singhalese, Nepali and English finished the official activities, which were followed by the old monk embracing and sometimes kissing the hands of other monks – his farewell gesture - very sweet and moving. He also came up to me and asked if I had a good time and everything had been ok.
So now all the partying seems to over and it’s down to the daily routine of lunch here every 11.30am – I start half and hour after the yogis. I also get to eat after 12 if I feel inclined, and to help myself to whatever. I haven’t really taken much advantage of this but the occasional snack in the afternoon has been in order – a piece of cheese, a cup of black tea and a sweet biscuit – not too many luxury food items to be had. A trip to the local village can provide a coke, a packet of chips – mostly spicy flavoured - and perhaps, although I’ve yet to se one, a chocolate bar.
I desperation arises for something more exotic to eat there is always the guest houses a bit further out – lunch one day there might be the go if I crave for more “western” food. Or a trip to the big smoke of Bhairahawa - a town lacking in charm, and with a very Indian vibe typical of the plains of Nepal. Hope to get there before Christmas to buy a few decorations to make a yogi or two smile - oh and hopefully a new pillow - so I can give my head a break form the rock masquerading as a pillow that sits at the top of my bed.
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