Turns out we were making a secret trip to Dehradun, a ninja voyage, for Karmapa to pay his final respects to the Kudung of Luding Khenchen Rinpoche. So I flew to Delhi and the next day we drove, a van full of monks and me, braving the Indian traffic and unavoidable delays to arrive very late night in Dehradun. Getting up at 4am, after very little sleep, we drove to the airport to receive His Holiness, and then through crowded villages, open plains and forests, we made our way to Ngor Monastery. While it was supposed to be quite a private visit the welcome was anything but. Horns and drums, the golden parasol, and crowds of monks greeted us at the gate. Karmapa was rushed upstairs and we then began a day of a lot of waiting. That’s a big part of my job, wait and then wait, and then very quickly run and shoot in a fiery burst of energy, followed immediately by another period of waiting. But our waiting was wonderful, they kept bringing food and tea, and then more food and tea, then snacks, and then some more tea. Adding in my encompassing jet lag, the lack of sleep, the hours and hours in the bumpy smokey car the night before, and the intensity and joy of being around Karmapa, I was gloriously overstimulated, loopy and very happy. Finally I was called upstairs for something important, only to find Karmapa greeting the 42nd and 43rd Sakya Trinzin. Other important Lamas and Khenpos were there as well too, and I was blown away by how they treated Karmapa, how much joy and respect they had for each other. What a room, so many incredible people just sitting on a couch and discussing whatever it is that people such as they would discuss.
Then Karmapa went into the room of Luding Khenchen Rinpoche, and I was reminded of just how incredibly humble and “normal” he really is, he just sat down on the floor in the corner and started to practice. The hosts freaked and insisted that he sit on the throne, and have a fancy rug and cushion. Of course Karmapa eventually relented, but I could see so clearly that he didn’t need any of that. Just a spot on the floor, in the corner. I was reminded of just how incredible he is, how down to earth and yet impossibly immense at the same. Like a Buddha. The power in that room was so strong, I was having a hard time trying to take just a few photos, hands shaking and knees going all wobbly. One could see clearly how much Karmapa respected his teacher, a man who had given him so much in his early years. It was such a small room, for such an important Rinpoche, showing his great humility and “normal” nature as well I believe. Then they closed the door and Karmapa was inside alone for hours, giving us a chance to get some more seriously needed snacks and tea, quickly after which they served lunch! I will attest that our hosts were exceedingly kind, gracious, amazingly generous and without a doubt some of the most respectful and gentle people I have ever been around. I was very touched, we all were.
After lunch Karmapa went to the main shrine hall to pay respect to the actual Kudung, and once again he just simply sat down on the floor. The hosts again pleaded and begged that he sit on the throne, and again he relented, but you could see that it was for their sake. Just sitting on the floor, looking up at the beautiful shrine with the Kudung of his teacher, I was in awe. If ever there was a sign to prove his incomparable humble nature, this was indeed one of them. I was so touched by this. His respect and admiration for Luding Kenchen Rinpoche was so strong, the energy between he and the Kudung so thick with love and respect, you could cut it with a knife. It was like a mist, just hanging in the air, enveloping everything and everyone. The whole place was vibrating. Once more everyone left, Karmapa staying inside alone. We all sat next to the closed door and practiced, you could feel it outside just the same, and everyone wanted to be as close as possible.
Then after multitudes of blessings and Kata exchanges, bowed heads and offerings, good byes and thank yous, we left and headed back through the maze of villages, towns, and dusty roads to the airport. Karmapa went inside, and that was it, event over. At this point I thought I might melt, both physically and into the swirling space of energy all around me, so when I was offered to fly back instead I jumped at the opportunity. An hour later we were in Delhi, and it dawned on me that we had been gone no more than 24 hours. This all happened in one single day, from Delhi to Dehradun and back. The next day I flew home, this continuing colossal journey ending just a quickly as it had begun, I barely had time to adjust before heading back again. I also realized that I spent nearly 16 hours of that day in a car, lots of it waiting (and drinking tea) and no more than two hours actually taking photographs. Such is the life of a Dharma photographer. Such is working around a living Buddha, who teaches you constantly how impermanent and pretense less the world can be. Such is the way a buddha lives, simple and profound, showing the rest of us how it’s done.
