kaliandra: a hidden sanctuary of pasuruan

remembering dagpo rinpoche, i forgot to post about this place: kaliandra. beside having my first tibetan teaching here last december, i found an amazing sanctuary in the middle of pasuruan. pasuruan for goodness sake, in east java! it’s a vast 17 hectare of land at mount arjuna, organic farming, an amazing paladeo buildings and beautiful garden (or forest?) that makes you literally time travel to another world. it’s a little absurd experience but it’s completely unforgettable. the next pictures would speak for themselves.

walking path in kaliandra | the hidden paledeo with beautiful lotus pond | yeap, complete with the pool at the back | wooden villa | the outdoor bathroom | italian paledeo | view of arjuna mountain at the main garden| buddha statue in the middle of the pond

dharamsala #1: the candle march

the tibetan shops were all closed the first day we arrived in dharamsala. another monk immolation happened in tibet, the atmosphere of mourning felt all over the town. we went for an afternoon mass prayer and walked the candle march that night from tsuglag khang (dalai lama’s temple). the tibetan community of dharamsala were all out in the street and walk the march around town. snow was pouring hard.

i can’t describe my feeling. being among the monks and the tibetan people. among the chants, prayer and shout. i don’t know the language. but the language of the heart touched my very soul. i cry on the street of dharamsala and among its people. i understand this longing of going home to lhasa, i wish one day to be in lhasa and to be among those mountain once again in this very life. i thankful that universe brought me to dharamsala on that very moment. to cry among them.

never in my life i feel to be in such in a right place. that there is no coincidence like dagpo rinpoche said, where your wheel of life and karma brought you back to where you belong, to your home and you are born a new to the path of dharma. i walked myself among the march, lighting my own candle. my own very name: dian. the candle that would never die. that hope and goodness would never die.

om mane padme hum

the path to dharamsala

majnu ka tila, new delhi

the first step when we went inside majnu ka tila is to realized that we are not in india. it was raining and damp that afternoon. we took the metro and stop at the kashmiri gate. took an auto and drop around majnu ka tila, called lobsang to pick us up at the front of majnu ka tila alleyway. i can’t help to remember (again) that this area look like janti area in jogjakarta.

we went inside majnu ka tila and transferred to the world of tibetan. buying a bottle of water and getting stared at because i use english (i look local, oh well). drink our first yak butter tea. buy our first yak wool blankets which proof to be one of the most useful things in our trip.

we took our first indian bus ride at 6 PM. it would take us 12 hours to reach dharamsala. i prefer not to see how in the hell he was driving the bus to reach that distance in half a day. we had to stop two times to have dinner – a delicious chicken curry – and an early morning chai before going up to the mountains. we reach dharamsala when it was still pitch black around 6 AM, took a taxi of a nice old indian driver and settle ourselves at ladies venture, mcleod ganj. we slept at the kashmiri hotel, basically freezing until it was time for breakfast at 9 AM. being an island people surely needed time to adjust with north indian winter.

dharamsala welcome us that morning with a light snow. exactly at the moment that we have our breakfast outside in the lodging patio. the first snow of our lives.

abmi first yak butter tea | prayer wheel by an old tibetan lady in the bus | dalai lama picture at our bus to dharamsala

i had dream this trip to dharamsala over and over. and i can’t help myself to feel i am at the right place. it felt that i’ve been away for so long, walk so many path, passing so many journey and finally come home. something fulfill my heart and i can’t explain it to anyone. accept that i’m here, in my right place, in my own heart and i don’t need anything else.

why eastern indonesia is one of the world’s gem

kakara island, north halmahera

do i need to say more?

sanctuary #2: candi mendut and mendut monastery

i spend some time revisiting the mendut temple and its monastery before leaving to bogor last week. i’ve wanting to go to the temple to pay some respect. i have to say that this place is one of my favorite places in the world. i could spend hours there, even just to sit and contemplate. such a blissful feeling to be in such a peaceful place.

the mendut temple is one of the ancient site still used by the buddhist in indonesia on the waisak yearly celebration. located just after muntilan in magelang area of central java. it’s a part of a series event related to the borobudur and pawon temple. but yeah, despite the amazing borobudur as part of the world greatest heritage, i prefer mendut temple better. it stillness and simplicity just took my breath away.

the monastery itself is new and still active. i went inside a few rooms that i never seen before. i’m thinking to join a retreat here for the khrisnamurti vipassana meditation, the schedule could be check here. dewi lestari had made a review her experience going through the retreat here. i’m waiting for the right time when i could go for three days and have my son taking care off while i’m gone.

i want to buy some banyan tree seed also that they have here and i want to grew them in the future, in my future place someday. i bought one before but it died while i had to spend time in bogor while having bhumy. but yes, things can die and other things will grow.

i’m growing. stronger. better. kinder. and reminded with blessing in life. thank you.

Om Mane Padme Hum

thanks P for sharing the whole trip with me. despite the rain that hit us that afternoon.

sanctuary #1: mata air pajangan

me and water. it’s always a kind relationship. very nourishing and refreshing. i’ve been spending my time at this place call umbul pajangan (natural spring water), the last four years, whenever i’m feeling in ease. especially because it was really close to my place (just 2 kilometres away) when i still live in the northern area of yogya. this place located at the jalan kaliurang kilometre 9.

i spend my pregnancy swimming at this natural spring in the middle of the rice field. it’s my sanctuary. it’s a part of me and my memories.

beautiful, beautiful place.