Not too far from Mysore and fairly close to Coorg exists perhaps the countries biggest Tibetan settlement in South Karnataka in the Bylakuppe, Kushalnagar area. Maroon and yellow are the prominent colors that greet you as the monks go about their prayers. Prayer flags carrying the peoples prayers to heaven flutter in the breeze and peace reigns all around.
The Golden Temple also known as the Namdroling monastery stands in peaceful splendour just a mile and a bit from Bylakuppe. Pema Norbu Rinpoche established Namdroling with a handful of monks after leaving Tibet in the Himalayas. Soon it grew from the three storied main temple of 80 sq feet. The Dalai Lama himself consecrated it and named it the Namdroling Monastery. The imposing golden temple was completed in 2004. As you walk around Bylakuppe you feel transported to the Himalayan highlands away from the dust and heat of Karnataka. The architecture, the peace loving Tibetans, the smiling children, all create the ambience of the land left behind. At the heart is of course the Monastery. Walk down the prayer wheel corridor which circumambulates the monastery and keep rotating the prayer wheels for good karma. Perhaps a little bit of peace will rub off on you. Soon you will hear chanting by monks, who are here to study the Buddhist sutras. Centuries ago travelers came from Tibet traveling down unchartered roads, braving great odds to take back Buddhist sutras to their land and plant the Buddhist faith there. Today ousted from their land they have settled down at the Namdroling monastery to learn the sutras. Their study will take them almost a decade. So as they study and conduct their rituals of blowing the 20 feet long prayer horns, chanting in sonorous tones, you stand mesmerized. Perhaps their search for Nirvana is rubbing off on you. Those monks who choose to follow the path of teaching will go on to other monasteries as Khenpos.
The monastery has exquisite interiors with carved wooden beams and colourfully painted murals. The seated 60 feet high golden idols of Buddha, Padmasmbhava and Amitayush face Tibet, perhaps nurturing the hopes of the Tibetan community in exile to go back one day. Guru Padmasamdhava who took Buddhism to Tibet is highly venerated. The peaceful expression on the face of the Buddha is enough to calm the most stressed out city-dweller. As you go outside you see the same peaceful expression on many faces.
Besides the Namdroling Monastry (of the Nyingma tradition) there are two other monasteries not far away at Sera. The Sera The monastery is the center of Vajrayana Buddhism as is the Tashilunpo Monastery or SeraMey close to it. Music is an integral part of the study and worship at the monasteries here. Each February there is a music festival held with artists and musician coming from around the world. The music is eclectic and even rock and rap are heard besides the sonorous Buddhist chants.
Signs of the modern world can be seen all around, such as monks wearing sneakers, however, the memory of Tibet that the people here nurture in their hearts cannot be wished away, as over 5000 monks seek initiation here.