Visiting the Tibetan Buddhists in Bylakuppe

Traveling Guru Darrol Bryant takes North American students to India, where he introduces them to living encounters with different religious communities. In this video, they visit Bylakuppe, one of the two Tibetitan Refugee resettlements in India. This one in Southern India was established in 1961 and is home to the Sera Jay Monastic University (Gelukpa tradition), the smaller Tashilunpo monastery (Gelukpa tradition), the Namdroling monastery (Nyingma tradition) as well as a number of smaller monasteries, nunneries and temples in all the major Tibetan Buddhist traditions. Close by are several small camps and agricultural settlements.
As evening falls, Darrol's students watch the Sera Jey students practicing on the lawn. The Sera Jey monastery is modeled after the original Sera University in Tibet. Sera belongs to the Yellow-Hat Gelugpa sect of Buddhism and is the local seat of education. More than 5,000 Buddhists study here to become monks.
The group is invited to enter some of temples on the grounds, including the spectacular Golden Temple for which the community is most well known. As they step inside the temples, they are transported into another world. The walls are adorned with colourful paintings depicting gods and demons from Tibetan Buddhist mythology. Three beautiful golden Buddha statues, Padmasambhava, Buddha and Amitayus, each 40 feet high, look down at them from the altar decorated with flowers, candles and incense. Small birds nesting amongst the statues fly freely around the temple.
They have the opportunity to speak with their host, who talks about respect for all religions.
Back outside, the walk around the calm and majestically landscaped gardens and open courtyards that become a central gathering place during festivals where masked dancers twirl in colorful costumes to the sound of gongs and massive ceremonial trumpets.
This video is an excerpt from the documentary, Traveling Guru
Produced, directed and edited by Marjonneke Grech
Camera by Aman Ahooja

[@hellboundtruck123]

This is a culture within a culture, Tibetans living in India practicing their own religion and traditions. India is very generous.

[@lobsang7796]

I wish u had a great time in Tibetan camp 🙏🏻