Trip to Menri Monastery, India, with Tempa Dukte Lama


Monday March 3, 2014 to Thursday March 13, 2014

Tempa Lama, resident teacher at Olmo Ling Bon Center, will guide this 11-day spiritual trip to Menri Monastery, India. Menri Monastery is located in the mountains in Dholanji, Himachal Pradesh, in Northern India, about 300 kilometers from New Delhi. It is the main monastic center of the Tibetan Bon tradition in exile. About 500 monks and nuns lead monastic lives of practice, study, and service at Menri. The Bon Dialectic School at Menri offers the opportunity for both monks and nuns to study toward the Bon Geshe (Doctor of Philosophy) degree. Menri also offers shelter, education, and loving care to about 200 children. Tempa Lama was trained and educated at Menri from a very young age under the care of His Holiness 33rd Menri Trizin, the spiritual head of Bon and abbot of Menri. Tempa Lama will accompany this trip from beginning to end.

Trip Itinerary

Day 0. Sunday March 2. Depart from the US

Day 1: Monday March 3. Arrive in New Delhi and rest in the hotel.

Day 2. Tuesday March 4. After breakfast Tempa Lama will give the trip orientation. Then we will travel from Delhi to Menri Monastery and rest at the Menri Guesthouse.

Day 3. Wednesday March 5. In the morning we will visit with His Holiness 33rd Menri Trizin, the head of Bon and abbot of Menri, and receive a blessing from him. Then Tempa Lama will give a tour of the Menri Monastery Grounds. Later we will attend the Birthday Celebration of Nyamed Sherab Gyaltsen with the monastic community.

Day 4. Thursday March 6. After breakfast Tempa Lama will offer an orientation of the Geshe Ceremony at Menri. Then we will attend the Geshe Ceremony.



Day 5. Friday March 7. We will attend the Geshe Ceremony at Menri.

Day 6. Saturday March 8. We will hike into the mountains surrounding Menri Monastery and put up prayer flags for the prosperity, longevity, and wellbeing of our family and friends back home. The hike is a simple two-hour walk each way. Then will return to the guesthouse for rest and dinner.

Day 7. Sunday March 9. We will attend the Menri Mask Dance Festival which takes place this day.

Day 8. Monday March 10. We will visit the Redna Menling Nunnery and spend time with the nuns.



Day 9. Tuesday March 11. We will visit with some of the senior lamas at Menri Monastery and receive teachings from them. Then we will rest at the Menri guesthouse.

Day 10. Wednesday March 12. We will depart for Delhi and rest in the hotel.

Day 11. Thursday March 13. We will enjoy a day of sightseeing in Delhi.

Day 12. Friday March 14. Travel back to the US.

Costs and registration

Trip costs: $1,600. This includes:
  • Group transportation from New Delhi Airport to the hotel.
  • All transportation to/from Menri Monastery
  • Room and board at the hotel in New Delhi and at Menri Monastery (double occupancy) beginning Monday, March 3, 2014. Meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) start with breakfast on March 4th and end with dinner on March 13th, 2014.
Not included in the trip costs:
  • International flights to/from New Delhi
  • Passport and visa fees
  • Travel insurance. We recommend that you acquire travel insurance and health insurance.
  • Olmo Ling is not responsible for any loss or injury during the trip
  • Individual donations
  • Dinner the evening of March 3, 2014
  • Extra days stay before and after the trip dates

To register, please click the link on the very top and bottom of this page and complete the form on the next page. After pressing the ‘Continue’ button, you will be directed to a new page where you can select to make a $500 deposit for the trip securely online by credit card, via PayPal, or by check. If you wish to pay by check, please make the check out to Olmo Ling and mail it to Olmo Ling, 1101 Greenfield Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15217. You can pay for the remainder of the trip costs by check or by credit card on the phone via the Olmo Ling office at 412 904 1112. All payments must be received in full by Wednesday day, January 15, 2014.

After we have received your registration, Olmo Ling will provide you with further details to help you prepare for this very special trip to Menri Monastery.

Indian government regulations require that visitors obtain advance permission before visiting Menri Monastery. Immediately after obtaining the visa for India and registering for the trip, please send a copy of your visa to the Olmo Ling office. All visa copies must be received by Wednesday January 1, 2014. Olmo Ling will then acquire an invitation letter from Menri for the registered trip participants and apply for special permission to visit Menri.

To book the international flight, you can work with your own travel agent or take help from Tempa Lama and his agent to help coordinate flights. Some participants may decide to spend a few extra days in Delhi for sightseeing before the trip begins; if you are interested, please let us know.

Cancellation Policy

Through Wednesday January 1, 2014: full refund less a $175 administrative fee.
From Thursday January 2- Tuesday February 4, 2014: 50% refund.
From February 5, 2014: no refunds.

Contact for questions about the trip:

Tempa Lama
Olmo Ling Bon Center and Institute
1101 Greenfield, Pittsburgh, PA 15217
bon@olmoling.org

Registration

We are really sorry, there are no places left for this event.
Please check the Olmo Ling Retreat and Teaching Schedule to see if there is another workshop or retreat that you might be interested in.

If you still want to participate in this event, please send us an email . Back to Olmo Ling Retreat and Teaching Schedule