Tibetan Buddhist Shrines

In Buddhism, a shrine or altar appears in almost every home and public space. Shrines are a place where offerings to the Buddhas and other deities are presented. Buddhists believe that you should offer pleasing things to the Buddhas. These include light, incense, food and fresh clean water, flowers, sound (bells), and so forth. Any item which is especially pleasing to the worshiper can first go on the shrine as an offering.

In some cases (for example, at Protector Deity shrines) alcohol is also offered (to appease spirits which might otherwise be harmful).

The following examples are shrines in public places:

Dalai Lama Shrine in a McleodGanj Bookshop

Dalai Lama Shrine in McleodGanj Restaurant

Tibetan Buddhist Shrine at a McleodGanj Coffeehouse

Tibetan Buddhist Shrine in a Small McleodGanj Grocery

 Larger Shrines appear in Buddhist temples and classrooms, such as the following:

Tibetan Buddhist Shrine in the McleodGanj Institute of Buddhist Dialectics Classroom

For special occasions, a more elaborate shrine might be set up. The following are Losar (Tibetan Lunar New Year) Shrines:

Losar Shrine at McleodGanj Coffeehouse

Losar Shrine in Tibetan Exile Home

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Saga Dawa in Dharamsala

The Tibetan community marked Saga Dawa, the holiest day of the Tibetan calendar, on June 15, 2011 with a variety of religious ceremonies.

Saga Dawa is the entire 4th month of the Tibetan lunar calendar. The full moon of the month, which fell on June 15 this year, is the date singled out to commemorate the birth, enlightenment, and Parinirvana (physical death) of  Shakyamuni Buddha (the historical Buddha)

Saga Dawa is a time for doing increased religious practices and daily acts which convey the Buddha's teachings. Amongst these are not killing (many Tibetans, who traditionally consume meat, go vegetarian for the entire month) and the practice of generosity (giving alms to everyone who asks). Buddhists believe that the merit accumulated by doing such practices helps all beings reach enllightenment. The karmic weight of merit is multiplied many times on Saga Dawa.

Most of the region's beggars, lepers, saddhus and Indian monks came to McleodGanj to line the kora (walking meditation path) around His Holiness Dalai Lama's main temple to receive money and food alms. Many Tibetans performed repeated koras both outside and inside the temple.

Inside the temple, pujas (prayer ceremonies) began in the early morning hours and continued through midday.

Tibetan Woman Giving Alms to Indian Buddhist Monks, Making Change from His Alms Bowl

Tibetan Woman Placing Change in Hand of Indian Buddhist Monk

Tibetan Monastic Doing Prostrations at His Holiness Dalai Lama's Main Temple

Bhaley (pronounced Pal-LAY), a Tibetan Bread, to be Distributed to Attendees of Puja

All images copyright 2015 Tammy Winand, all rights reserved. Please contact via email for usage permissions, or see my stock galleries on shutterstock, dreamstime, 123rf, and mostphotos (largest selection of India, Tibetan, Kathmandu related images) to download.

Stupas

Stupas, in Tibetan called "chorten", are "mound-like structures containing Buddhist relics, typically the remains of a Buddha, used by Buddhists as a place of worship." (paraphrased from the stupa wikipedia entry). Tibetan Buddhists make kora (a type of walking meditation) around stupas and may also prostrate towards them.

Stupa contain relics and/or the cremated remains of a lama or Rinpoche (considered to have been living Buddhas), mantras written on scrolls, "tsa tsa" and other offerings.
There are eight main types of stupas, each based on the Eight Major Events in the life of Buddha. There is also a ninth type, the Kalachakra Stupa, which are designed to protect against negative energies. Only a few of this type exist.

The Great Stupa of Boudhanath in Kathmandu, Nepal is one of the holiest pilgrimage sites in Tibetan Buddhism.

Stupa Along the Kora at HH Dalai Lama's Temple Complex in McleodGanj, Dharamsala, India.

Stupa on kor at HH Dalai Lama Temple Complex in McleodGanj, Dharamsala, India

Stupas at Dzongsar Shedrs in Bir, HP, India

Stupa at Zilnon Kagyeling Nyingma Stupa in McleodGanj, Dharamsala, India.

Stupa at Tashi Jong Monastery in Himachal Pradesh state, India. Said to have magical powers.

Grass Covered Stupa in Midst of Lalitpur, Kathmandu, Nepal


Note:

All images copyright 2015 Tammy Winand, all rights reserved. Please contact via email for usage permissions, or see my stock galleries on shutterstock, dreamstime, 123rf, and mostphotos (largest selection of India, Tibetan, Kathmandu related images) to download.

Many images are also available at Support for Tibet in the Buddhist Sites Photography Department as postcards and prints