Mirik is a small resort town in the Darjeeling District. Close to the boarder of Nepal it is where Bokar Rinpoche, Prema’s retreat guide, built a humble monastery. She had not been back since his untimely death in 2004. Under the guidance of Khenpo Donyo, the Abbot of the monastery, a magnificent stupa was built to house Bokar Rinpoche’s body.
Bokar Rinpoche’s Monastery
We arrived on an auspicious day, the monks were involved in Mahakala puja.
After a short break they hurry back to their prayers.
Bokar Rinpoche’s throne, awaiting the Tulku that is sure to be found soon.
These tormas have been made for this special puja
The Wheel of Time
This door leads to the inner Stupa Shrine Room
The magnificent stupa
The Lama who inspired such devotion
Exquisitely carved Offering Goddesses
This enormous thanka is appliqued
The ceiling was a riot of colorful brocades
Prema and Khenpo Donyo, notice how large the mandala plate is
The mandala plate filled with jewels
The entired stupa is gold plated and jewel encrusted
These gems are as big as a fist
This set of Auspicious Offerings was quite unusual. Gold plated, laquered and jewel encrusted. This is the sacred conch
The sacred knot
The sacred umbrella
The sacred fish
The walls were covered with the most delicately painted images
One wall of dancing dakinis
Outside the stupa shrine room, the rooftop view of the village
Pointing to where the old garden used to be
Khenpo was so happy to show us in the distance the retreat center
Bokar Rinpoche’s magnificent Tara statue.
She now has her own shrine room
Surrounded by the 21 Taras
Jewel encrusted
Supreme carving
These Taras will go into a shrine room in the retreat center
A wrathful Tara
These thankas are appliqué
Khenpo treated us to tea and cookies
Bokar Rinpoche, HH the Dalai Lama, Kalu Rinpoche as a child, Khenpo Donyo
Outside the retreat center where Kalu Rinpoche has been in retreat for two and a half years
On the road down to town
The town and the lake
Robin is delighted to have some granola from her home town in Kauai. Kutira brought it as gifts for her Bhutanese friends.
