Dinner at dharamsala

Just returned from the most memorable dinner and wanted to store it for eternity, what better than share?!!!

I fixed the place for dinner during the evening get-a-bike walk, turned out a brilliant choice. We go to the Italian-tibetian food place- green!!! As we walk in , the place is buzzing and filled with foreigners and we sit outside. As we just start browsing the menu, a tibetian family walks in. A smiling man who greeted every table also smiles broadly at us. He simply asks, are you locals? We said no we are from Bangalore!!!! Hes overjoyed, just shakes hands with each of us. He went back memory lane, 25 years back he used to stay in bangalore where he stayed while he studied as well as worked a while before moving to nepal. He introduces himselves as Dha-wa, and quickly translated as chandrashekar , dha means moon and hence he was named chandrashekar in college, our Chandra speaks fluent Kannada and first introduced us to his wife and his 20 odd year old son who was leaving to kushalnagar for his studies.

He suggested our dinner menu- special lasagna, tofu momos and thenthuk!! He then shared his life learnings of how money means so little, how Buddhism and ofcourse Hinduism is all about being happy mentally than being lodged in a spic n clean new York appartment with no peace of mind, He practically knew everyone among the foriegners in the room - who he said come to india for peace and took example of a 100 year old rich European who had let go of everything and was living here for a long time just cared for by friends at dharamsala, on observation I find that the man could hardly move and yet was cheered and entertained by the staff.

Dha-wa then suggested us places to see around here to go to the place of the government in exile, dalailamas abode and the karmapa's. He then said that he had just returned from a direct audience with the dAlailama and asked us to meet him as well. He said the Indians have been soo helpful of the tibetian cause by housing the lama and the karmapa as well as provide every possible assistance. He sAid that the lama is extremely friendly and one could easily sight him etc and would have granted audience if we had taken prior appointments.

Food then arrived and our chandrshekar took his leave after a few photos for us!! The food was brilliant and memorable just per se. Loved it!!

The smile is a wonderful thing and wonder why we don't retain the warmth and hospitality we were once famous for!! A
Thing to ponder. Walked back to a slew of PJ from whom I call Raksas ever since he scared the little kid in a manali shop- Rakesh Pai who divides his name into two halves- one who has glowing hair(Ra dium /kesh-hair) and whose day is celebrated world over on 22/7- (pi). More than a dinner can take!!!