July 19

Through My Eyes

Saturday July 19

(At Lhassa watching the Dalai Lama's procession!)

"At the head of the column came a Nagagapa, a man carrying the symbolic wheel of life. He was followed by party of tatara, horsemen dressed in colourful, traditional costumes and carrying flags. Behind them were porters carrying my songbirds in cages and my personal belongings all wrapped up in yellow silk. Next came a section of monks from Namgyal, the Dalai Lamas's own monastery. each carried a banner decorated with sacred texts. Behind them followed musicians mounted on horseback. Then followed two groups of monk officials, first a subordinate section who acted as bearers, then monks of the Tsedrung order who were members of the Government. Behind those came a posse of horses from the Dalai Lama's own stables, all nicely turned out, caparisoned and led by their grooms.

There followed another troop of horses which carried the seals of state. I myself came next, carried on a yellow palanquin, which was pulled by twenty men, all officers in the army and dressed in green cloaks with red hats. Unlike the most senior officials, who wore their hair up, these had a single, long pigtail running down their backs. The palanquin itself, which was yellow in color (to denote monasticism), was supported by a further eight men wearing long coats of yellow silk. Alongside it rode the four members of the Kashag, the Dalai Lama's inner Cabinet, attended by the Kusun Depon, head of the Dalai Lama's bodyguard, and the Mak-chi, Commander in Chief of Tibet's tiny army. Both of these marched carrying their swords sternly at the salute. They wore a uniform comprised of blue trousers and a yellow tunic covered with gold braid. On their heads they wore a tasselled topi. Surrounding this, the main party, there was an escort of sing gha, the monastic police. These terrifying-looking men were all at least six feet tall and wore heavy padding, which lent them an even more impressive appearance. In their hand they carried long whips, which they did not hesitate to use.

Behind my palanquin came my two Tutors, Senior and Junior ( the former being the regent of Tibet before I attained my majority). then came my parents and other members of my family. They were followed by a large party of lay officials, both nobles and commoners, marshalled according to rank.

Invariably almost the entire population of Lhasa, the capital, came to try to catch a glimpse of me whenever I went out. There was an awed silence and often there were tears as people lowered their heads or prostrated themselves as I passed. It was a life very different from the one I had known as a small boy."

( An incredible sight! I promise to add more tomorrow...)

*( please click here to read of the day with me )

* This is from the book Freedom in Exile The Autobiography of the Dalai Lama by Tenzin Gyatso, the fourteenth

Dalai Lama of Tibet.

Through my eyes

( Please see my spinning for you!.)

( Tahshi gentle one! I spent the day clearing around the apple trees and scything a bit at the base of the hill for mulch. The grass grows very thinly at the top so the extra mulch will help up there. I haven't done any research on Tibetan geography but I did work on the website a bit. You'll notice the changes in the friends section. This isn't a big deal, it's just to set it up so that the main website file is smaller and easier to publish to the website. It is tedious but will make things easier later. Let's read some more from the Tibetan language book if you would like and then rest.

And so, as always we'll continue two as one on to tomorrow

my one beautiful patient dream bright

long dark mane in sunlight

so for now I bid goodnight...Simjah Nahngo!)


	Through My Eyes Saturday July 19 (At Lhassa watching the Dalai Lama's procession!) "At the head of the column came a Nagagapa, a man carrying the symbolic wheel of life. He was followed by party of tatara, horsemen dressed in colourful, traditional costumes and carrying flags. Behind them were porters carrying my songbirds in cages and my personal belongings all wrapped up in yellow silk. Next came a section of monks from Namgyal, the Dalai Lamas's own monastery. each carried a banner decorated with sacred texts. Behind them followed musicians mounted on horseback. Then followed two groups of monk officials, first a subordinate section who acted as bearers, then monks of the Tsedrung order who were members of the Government. Behind those came a posse of horses from the Dalai Lama's own stables, all nicely turned out, caparisoned and led by their grooms. There followed another troop of horses which carried the seals of state. I myself came next, carried on a yellow palanquin, which was pulled by twenty men, all officers in the army and dressed in green cloaks with red hats. Unlike the most senior officials, who wore their hair up, these had a single, long pigtail running down their backs. The palanquin itself, which was yellow in color (to denote monasticism), was supported by a further eight men wearing long coats of yellow silk. Alongside it rode the four members of the Kashag, the Dalai Lama's inner Cabinet, attended by the Kusun Depon, head of the Dalai Lama's bodyguard, and the Mak-chi, Commander in Chief of Tibet's tiny army. Both of these marched carrying their swords sternly at the salute. They wore a uniform comprised of blue trousers and a yellow tunic covered with gold braid. On their heads they wore a tasselled topi. Surrounding this, the main party, there was an escort of sing gha, the monastic police. These terrifying-looking men were all at least six feet tall and wore heavy padding, which lent them an even more impressive appearance. In their hand they carried long whips, which they did not hesitate to use. Behind my palanquin came my two Tutors, Senior and Junior ( the former being the regent of Tibet before I attained my majority). then came my parents and other members of my family. They were followed by a large party of lay officials, both nobles and commoners, marshalled according to rank. Invariably almost the entire population of Lhasa, the capital, came to try to catch a glimpse of me whenever I went out. There was an awed silence and often there were tears as people lowered their heads or prostrated themselves as I passed. It was a life very different from the one I had known as a small boy." ( An incredible sight! I promise to add more tomorrow...) ( please click here to read of the day with me ) This is from the book Freedom in Exile The Autobiography of the Dalai Lama by Tenzin Gyatso, the fourteenth Dalai Lama of Tibet. Through my eyes ( Please see my spinning for you!.) ( Tahshi gentle one! I spent the day clearing around the apple trees and scything a bit at the base of the hill for mulch. The grass grows very thinly at the top so the extra mulch will help up there. I haven't done any research on Tibetan geography but I did work on the website a bit. You'll notice the changes in the friends section. This isn't a big deal, it's just to set it up so that the main website file is smaller and easier to publish to the website. It is tedious but will make things easier later. Let's read some more from the Tibetan language book if you would like and then rest. And so, as always we'll continue two as one on to tomorrow my one beautiful patient dream bright long dark mane in sunlight so for now I bid goodnight...Simjah Nahngo!)