POSTCARDS | Himalayas
I'm sitting cross-legged inside a monastery, crammed shoulder to shoulder between a throng of Buddhist monks. It's not just any monastery, though. Namgyal Monastery is the home temple of the Dalai Lama, who is due to arrive any minute now. Young monks swathed in sumac-coloured robes are making their way through the packed hall with enormous teapots of scalding-hot yak-butter tea (a thick, calorieladen drink that's been a staple in Tibet since the 10th century), divvying it out among the masses. One monk leads in a mesmerising chant, a hypnotic melody that spellbinds the chamber. All around me, monks are swaying side to side, transforming the monastery floor into a gently oscillating sea of saffron and crimson robes. Then, there's silence. A wave of reverence sweeps over the
