EPISODE ONE - AT THE LAMAYURU FESTIVAL

At the Lamayuru monastery, in northern Ladakh, celebrations for the first of two days of Yuru Kabgyat are underway. This festival of the Tibetan tradition attracts not only people around the region, but also quite a large amount of Indian and international tourists. The celebration consists of a sequence of costumed dances performed by actors with flamboyant clothes and traditional masks belonging to Buddhist mythology. Their gestures are accompanied by the sound of drums, cymbals and long horns. The faithful observe the ceremony spinning their prayer wheels with an experienced and mesmerising movement of the hand. I’m standing one step away from a portico on the side of the square where, among local and guest monks, there is one that draws my attention. He is just a child and sits next to a group of other very young brothers. He doesn't look towards the square, he doesn't joke with his companions, he would almost seem not interested in what is happening around him. I try an approach, greet him and start to interact. In response he turns his gaze to me but makes no other sign. I try to establish communication with gestures, but he keeps on looking at me without answering. I lift the camera and move a finger towards him as if to ask permission to take a picture of him. This time, he turns his gaze elsewhere. Well, I finally got my answer after all. It makes me smile. At my side there is an elderly monk, I look at him in search of complicity but he just smiles at me amiably. I do not insist and turn back to the square. The dancers are practically in the same position, nothing seems to have changed in that minute and my mind is still with the inaccessible child. After a few seconds I turn back towards him and am surprised to find that he is looking at me.

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EPISODE TWO - AT THE HEMIS MONASTERY

The huge square of the Hemis monastery is exceptionally crowded with people in bright clothes and monks moving laboriously. It is quite a new experience compared to the other monasteries (gompas) we have visited so far. Intrigued, I ask around and the answer comes from one of the monks who solemnly tells me about some of his young brothers that are taking vows today. The atmosphere is utterly festive and - strangely for a Buddhist monastery in Ladakh - noise pervades every corner. It's too easy to get absorbed by the celebrations and for a while I let the enthusiasm rub off on me while I let myself be guided all around the monastery by the flow of people. After a while, having sufficiently satisfied the search for liveliness, I glimpse beyond a small door: there’s an alley that leads to an environment that seems less crowded and definitely quieter. There's a small shady square at the end of the alley. A swastika painted on a wall and a pair of prayer wheels indicate the presence of a place of worship. A group of women come out from a red-painted wooden door looking at the western tourist without any interest and follow on their way. I go through the open door. It's a temple, smaller than the one overlooking the main square through the enormous staircase, but no less richly decorated. The walls are adorned with frescoes of various representations. A red carpet covers the floor. At the opposite side, at the foot of the statue of the Buddha, there are offerings left by faithful. The environment is surrounded by a mystical silence, a quite oasis inside the monastery in celebration. I decide to sit in a corner beside the door for few minutes before diving back into the party. At that moment a woman enters and stops a step away off the door. The light from outside casts her shadow on the floor. She doesn't seem to notice me. She raises her hands above her head in a gesture of prayer, whispers few words and, with an expert gesture, kneels and leans towards the God. She repeats the gesture three times. Then, walking along the side wall, she reaches the offering area to leave her own.

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Thanks to Gonzalo from Phototravel for organizing this trip. To my travel companions Antonio, Cecilia, Dani, Esperanza, Javi, Juanjo and Santi for being so friendly and fun. To the family that hosted me for one night in their home. And special thanks to all the people I met in along the trip for being so hospitable and genuine.