YAKS AND MONPAS

Tawang Gompa (Photo credit: rao.anirudh)

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Japanese Edo period commanders baton "saihai" with a yaks hair tassle. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Riding Yaks (Photo credit: W.
ikipedia)

Monpa (1) (Photo credit: rajkumar1220)

Monpas are largely concentrated in West Kameng and Tawang districts of Arunachal Pradesh of India. They also inhabit Tibet part of China and Eastern Bhutan.They are  recognised as an ethnic group by China. Out of about 50,000 monpas living in India roughly 25000 monpas reside in Tawang district of Arunachal pradesh. Tawang monastery is the highest seat of Buddhist religion in India. The sixth Dalai Lama Tsangyang Gyatso (1 March 1683 – 15 November 1706) was a Monpa by ethnicity and was born at Urgelling Monastery, just 5 km from Tawang,  and not far from the large Tawang Monastery in the northwestern part of present-day Arunachal Pradesh in India.

Yaks are an important part of their life There life revolves around the Yaks. The inhabitants of Monpas villages living in high mountainous valleys of Arunachal and Bhutan go about their lives tending to the herds of Yaks. They  plough their fields harnessing the animals to grow their   crops. The climate in the high altitudes where they reside is generally very cold. They knit sweaters and blouses from the hair of Yaks and stitch their clothes from the skin of animals they hunt.

They brew their drinks from the rice and millet called 'chhang' and do whatever possible to make their lives enjoyable. They drink copiously and quickly break into dance, song and spontaneous laughter. This is the most endearing feature of their character and is known far and wide.

They build their multi levelled houses from brick and stone. The forest products are used copiously to build their dwellings.

Colourful flags atop high poles and prayer wheels are a common sight of any 'mon' village. The prayer wheels are generally found on every path leading to a village.

They are expert craftsmen. Carved wood work, weaving and paper making are some of the crafts which are famous all over. Thangka or Tanka paintings and mask making are being  practiced by them for centuries.

---daman
28/02/2014

• Another Shangri La
• The terminology Mon and its definition!
• The Mon terminology!

BYE MY BULBUL!

Image via Wikipedia

My 'bulbul' is visiting me this year again.


I am soooo excited.

Last season it had made its nest in our front yard in the moneyplant just next to our main entrance. It used to keep a watchful eye on us whenever we were leaving or coming back from work. 


We had  built up a mutual  trust. We were careful not to disturb it while it was sitting in its nest and on its part it used to hop out whenever we put some food tidbits, small insects, some apple and other fruit pieces for it. We used to respect its privacy and were meticulously careful not to disturb it. Just as we do not like anyone to intrude upon our domain similarly their nest is their private niche and they will protect it at any cost.

It was fun to watch it incubating its eggs...turning them after a certain time...constantly keeping its watchful eye on the possible dangers from intruders. We were the honorable exeption of course.

It was very fascinating to watch its partner sitting on a wire a little distance away and at a vantage point, to warn it of the invaders and at times deflecting their attention from their intended attack by suddenly swooping on them scaring them away vigorously pursuing them to the limits of their territory.

It didn't mind our going close to its nest and looked the other way reassured that we shall not harm its nest. 

It laid four brown speckled eggs and hatched lovely chicks and reared these chicks.


One morning at day break we were awakened by their vigorous chirps. We rushed out to find that one of the chicks had hopped out of its nest and the bulbul mom trying to protect it from prowling cats. We gently picked it up and put it on the window sill.


We were happy to protect it but were also sad. We knew that the time had come to say 'goodbye' to them. By next morning they were gone but mother 'bulbul' still used to visit us, followed by its youngones, to collect food tidbits and insects.


We were satisfied to watch them from a distance and prayed that they
visit us again next summer.


Bye my bulbul!!


---daman
28/06/2011