Litang 礼堂

Litang 礼堂

When we reach Litang it was late afternoon about 4pm already, as usual, the town was new to me, without taking so much time looking for a place to stay, I wanted to check in to a youth hostel opposite to the bus terminal but there was no shower room, only share toilet, I went to another local hostel to check out price and it served the same without shower room but pay a bit cheaper so I've check in to a local cheap hostel (not allow for foreigner to stay) which opposite the bus terminal also, knowing that I'll be taking the bus from there, it is much easy for me to stay around.

Witness Sky Burial experience

As for the couple, they decided to walk further and check out any other hostel or hotel around. After a few minutes, I saw them came back and they check into the youth hostel which does not have shower room.

After check in, we meet up outside and we went for explore, this little town is very sandy, with a few minutes walk, we can felt ourselves very dusty. While we walk away from our hostel, not long later, suddenly strong wind sweep by and all the sands were moving towards our direction, sand went into our eyes and we hardly can open our eyes. It was so painful for sands got into our eyes, we turn around walking backward to go against the wind direction and find a place to hide until the wind stop.

As soon as the wind stop, we walk towards the local housing area, we were just walking towards the mountain passing by the local Tibetan houses, we were talking about the houses here were very nice and special.

As we walked pass a house, an old lady was standing outside her door step, I walk towards her, I asked her whether can we view at her house inside, she was very nice, she invited us in to seat down, they served us their traditional tea and their local snacks, as we were seating together with other family members of her (whole family members were at home), we started to ask questions and they were very nice to answer every questions was asked, inside her house, there were wood caving along the wall, very nice, accept it was not paint yet, I ask why not paint it, they told us that they have no money to buy paint. As the couple was with me not able to speak Chinese, as they ask questions, I was there to do interpretation. We were in their house about half an hour I guess and we left the place with an eye opener.

It was 17 April'2005 (Sunday), I thought it was a blessed day for me to see something special over the local house but knowing not, there was more surprise coming up.

As we trek up to the mountain, we saw the Tibetan flags all over the area, as we walk further, we saw the sky was flying with big birds (didn't know what birds was that) and from a distance far away, we saw Lama seating there, we were standing there talking amount ourselves. I was sharing with them Tibetan people die how they handle the dead body, one of the way is “Sky Burial” which mean they cut the body flesh, smashed the bones and let the vultures (big bird) eat. While sharing with them, the lady was saying; “may be they are cutting body now”. When I was visiting Tibet, I didn't get to see it, heard that normally they will not let you see unless you are the family members.

While I was sharing further, both couple felt very horrible about the “Sky Burial”, as for me, I wanted to have an eye opener, so I asked them to walk over and find out what the two Lamas were doing, Ha..ha… both were afraid and refuse to walk over.

As for me, I walked over slowly, as I walk closely…., I saw the Lama was cutting the body, when the Lama saw me, I thought he was going to stone me and chase me off but he didn't, he allow me to stand there and look, I was really excited of what I had witness and I started to ask questions. When he almost finished cutting the flesh, he started to smashed the bones, I ask all these flesh is meant for what purpose, he told me is for those birds (Vultures). I further ask him, what about the bones, how they eat the bones, he told me; after smashed the bones he will mixed with barley flour for the bird to eat. I asked permission to take a few photos for memory, out of my surprise, he doesn't stop me and allow me to take photos of him, those Vultures were many of them and they are really big size like an eagle. Wow…. really a great eye opener to witness such thing. I wasn't even afraid to see him cut piece by piece out of the body, it will be better if I was there much earlier, I would have chance to see the face and take the photo down too.

Well, after standing there watching for some time, I walk back to the couple and share with them what I've seen, I wanted to show them the photos which I've taken, they don't even dare to look at the photos I've taken, ha…ha…. The same photos I've show it to the sales girls & sales man in one of the Chengdu shop, they were amaze to see it and it was their first time heard what I've share and see such thing. (Sorry, I wouldn't display the photos on the website, to some people might afraid to see it.)

As we left the mountain, we explore around the town area, out of surprise again, we came to a small monastery, it was closed but we meet a Lama teacher, he open the door and show us around, as he show us around, he did explain to us, the couple needs my interpretation throughout the whole tour around, he shared; it is the 7^th Lama give birth house which we have visited. I'm so blessed to have personal guide to explain to us all that which we have seen for free. In Tibet, most monasteries I've visited, I had no one come and explain us. I think, the couple was so blessed to have me around to do the interpretation for them free.

After explore around, we went back to our own hostel to take a rest, knowing that I was so dusty, can't sleep with my hair fill with sandy, I decided after my dinner I'll find my way to get my hair wash, as there was no shower room, I used the basin and towel to wash my hair, my body, brush my teeth and get ready to go to bed early as I have to catch the early bus next day to hop over to another town.

I didn't have chance to say good bye to the couple, as they decided to stay there for one more night, while I find it is a small town didn't want to stay any longer. It was a great day for me with such experiences encounter. As soon as I was on the bed, I had fallen asleep very fast; it was a long journey traveling on uneven road on the bus and had walked so much for the day.

To read on my journey to Chengdu...click on next.