What follows is perhaps,
almost certainly, the least pleasant interaction I have had with a human being,
indeed any sentient being, whilst in Ladakh. And yet, as I have reflected on it
since it happened this morning, I have thus come to realize this incidents
value as a quite profound teaching as I attempt to walk the path of the
Buddhas. It unfolded as I was going for kora, ritual circumambulation, around
the Chokhang Vihara, also known as Gompa Soma (New Gompa), which is the main
Buddhist gompa (monastery) and lhakhang (temple) in central Leh. To the best of
my memory, this is how it unfolded.
I walk into the
Chokhang, and as I begin my kora, I notice on older Caucasian woman, European
by the looks of it, attempting to light up a cigarette. I can stomach and
ignore tourists being loud, or rude, walking the wrong directions, wearing
shorts and other revealing clothing, and most of the other disrespectful things
they do while in Buddhist gompas and sacred sites, but not this. This was
intransigence at its highest. The Ladakhis might be too nice to confront her,
but I am not.
Doug: Excuse me, but you cannot smoke here.
Old French
Woman: [Looks up in annoyance]
D: I don’t mean to be rude but…
OFB: Go away [gives slight wave of hand, by which she
clearly means ‘fuck off,’ and resumes attempting to light cigarette]
Realizing that this
woman is far more determined to smoke her cigarette and disrespect this sacred
place than I am to stop her, I continue with my kora and leave this foul soul
to wallow in carcinogens and her even more noxious personality. Having finished
my circumambulation of the Chokhang, I stand on some stone steps shaded by a
few trees near the front of the main lhakhang, reciting some last few mantras
of OM MANI PADME HUM (HRI), when the Old French Woman, walks up to me.
OFW: You cannot talk to people like that.
I attempt to be
conciliatory, and indulge her with an apology that she does not deserve.
D: I am sorry. I didn’t mean to come across as
rude, but I realize that I did.
OFW: You cannot tell people what they can do.
D: I know, but really, you cannot smoke here.
OFW: [Clearly perturbed that I will not give up my
admonishment] According to who, to you?!
D: According to them…[I motion to the Ladakhis
behind her and the literal writing on the wall behind them which states in big
bold letters ‘YOU ARE SITTING IN A HOLY PLACE, DON'T USE ALCOHOL, TOBACCO IN
ANY FORM’]…it’s actually written on the wall.
OFW: [Boiling with anger] You’re from the States
aren’t you?
D: Yes.
With my affirmation, I
have virtually no doubt as to the vitriol that is to follow.
OFW: You know you should just stay there, closed.
She pauses, so consumed
by her spiteful emotions that she is clearly at a loss for words; unable to
convey in English the disgust inside her that only knows the language of French
as a vehicle.
OFW: You truly are an unbelievable country!
Shaking her head in
utter contempt and disgust, she turns around and walks away. Now I am at a loss
for words, so taken aback by her odiousness. As she walks off towards the side
exit, completely failing, as do so many other foreigners and Indians, to walk
about the temple properly—in a clockwise manner, I manage to get in the last
words, which are the only words (other than expletives) which suddenly pop into
my mind.
D: [Somewhat sarcastically] Have a nice day.
The End
