News :: 2004

Holy Hum

by Raveena Aulakh
Hindustan Times Sunday Magazine
2 May 2004

The Grammy is as much for India as it is for Tibetans, insist monks of Sherab Ling, tucked in pine forests of Baijnath, in the foothills of Dhauladhars.

Long after you've left the leafy-lofty pine forests, long after the narrow bumpy track stops meandering, and long after you're back to humdrum of life, the sonorous chants the complementary sepulchral beats of the Nga [drum] and the harmonious echo of the Gyaling [trumpet], ring clear: Replay in your head, stay with you.

Just like the lingering pine wood fragrance.

It's sundown. As the mellow sun turns myriad shades of peaches and finally turns in for the day, Palpung Sherab Ling (Abode of Wisdom) Monastery, situated amidst dense pine groves and light years away from habitation, comes alive to the Mahakala Puja. A ritual by the XIIth Chamgon Tai Situpa, Pema Donyo Nyinge Wangpo, the chants begin on a low-key note but soon reverberate through the monastery, drift out into the forests and music assumes different connotations.

The Grammy suddenly seems appropriate.

First Grammy for Tibetans

Palpung Sherab Ling, the seat of Tai Situ Rinpoche, a renowned Buddhist monk of the Karma Kagyu lineage in Tibetan Buddhism, was in the glare of limelight last December when Sacred Tibetan Chants, the Monks of Palpung Sherab Ling Monastery, a CD of chants recorded at the monastery, was nominated in the Traditional World music category. In mid-February, Tibetans-in-exile bagged their first-ever Grammy, beating five contenders.

The Grammy award-winning CD includes lineage chanting or prayers, with which the monks begin their day, invoking the guru's blessings, Mahakala Puja and part of each day's closing ritual in which the monks perform purification and dedication to all sentient creatures. The prayers, which Buddhist monks and nuns of Karma Kagyu lineage have been performing for centuries now, are accompanied by traditional instruments like Nga, Gyaling, Ragdung, among others.

'Recording just like any other day'

The winning album features senior chanting masters Kelsang Yeshe, Norbu Gyaltsen, Tinley Gyurme, Nyamgal and six other monks. Yeshe, 37, a strapping monk, speaking in mellifluous tones, tells how the "recording was just like any other day of prayers." They forgot about it, too. It came back with the nomination. "It was a special day," beams Tempa Singye, 16, the youngest chanter in the group.

Palpung Sherab Ling takes its inspiration from the 350-year-old Palpung Monastery in Eastern Tibet, dysfunctional now after its inhabitants fled Tibet after the Chinese occupation. Now, Sherab Ling, with its cluster of quintessential Tibetan buildings of slanting roofs, colourful murals and flamboyant decorations in the foothills of the towering Dhauladhar range, preserves and nurtures its tradition of prayer ceremonies, music, dance and art.

More curious visitors now

At the monastery's reception, a mention of the Grammy brings a wide beam on monk Tsawang's rotund face. In a smattering of Hindi-English, he tells it occupies the pride of place in Guruji's living quarters. "When Tenam Shastri, who received the Grammy in LA, called to tell us the news, we told him he was seven hours late," he tells impishly, "we'd already watched it live on television!"

While the initial excitement has abated, the mystery element is still there: no one knows how the CD, not widely circulated, elbowed its way into the Grammy nomination. Monk Tenam Shastri, recovering from a particularly bad spell of cold, is at a loss for words. "We don't know," he croaks, adding: "Maybe its because of our Guruji's blessings." The Grammy, chorus monks "is as much for India. India's not only given us refuge but also the freedom to practise our religion and preserve our heritage."

Incidentally, when the CD was recorded two winters ago by New Zealanders Jon mark and Thelma Burchell, there was no great excitement. "It's a part of our daily ritual," explains Shastri, adding, "But Guruji is pleased that Buddhist chanting have been appreciated."

How the couple lugged the monstrous recording gear through India and Nepal for three months to finally home into the fascinating frieze-Thangka painting treasure trove of Sherab Ling Monastery is yet another interesting narrative. "Yes," agrees Tenam Shastri, "they too, are happy with the recognition."

The Grammy has propelled the monastery, home to some 550 monks, from relative obscurity to instant worldwide fame. The past few weeks, admits Tenam Shastri with his characteristic broad grin, have seen more visitors than usual. Pointing towards a group from California, Shastri tells: "Post-Grammy, Sherab Ling Monastery has made headlines across the world — there's been great curiosity about Sherab Ling and that's translated into more visitors."

Lure of the holy hum?

Other stories at:

http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=6429
Miracle whiff in Grammy
Hindustan Times[Tuesday, March 30, 2004 10:45]
By Nishiraj A. Baruah

http://archive.wn.com/2004/02/14/1400/himalayapost/
Tibetan chant wins Grammy

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3473951.stm
Tibetan chant wins Grammy
9 February 2004

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