Oh hey! The Shanti family has just spent the last week as members of the Dharmalaya Institute for Compassionate Living, in the state of Himachal Pradesh. Alessandra here writing to you from an internet cafe in McLeod Ganj; what Dharmalaya lacked in internet, it more than made up for in spectacular mountain views. Under the wisdom of our new friend, Mark Ji, we learned about the incredible institute he founded and its mission to preserve the traditions of sustainable living of the region. Alongside eight other students from all around India (and one from LA), we took a course in Vernacular Eco-Architecture, taught by none other than the all-knowing, smiley Mark Ji.
Our first day, we were given the grand tour of the Dharmalaya campus. All of the buildings were constructed by hand by Mark and villagers, some of which were masons by trade, but most were students learning the many forms of earthen building alongside experienced neighbors. For generations, local masons passed down the art of adobe brick making, cob building, and rammed earth to their children. As this practice is fading, Mark started working to combine Himalayan wisdom and creative innovation to create possibilities of sustainable and compassionate living in the area and beyond. The beautiful campus is formed by primarily adobe brick buildings, fruit and vegetable gardens, and work spaces – all surrounded by colorful marigolds and the many layers of the Himalayan mountain range. Catherine and Savannah smiled widely at the landscapes that paralleled their home views of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Each morning, some members of team Shanti headed to the second story of the main building for meditation and yoga, in a room that was built so it feels like you’re floating among the mountains (big shoutout to the fantastic 86 year old architect, Didi). Nate enjoyed the opportunity to move his body in a way that he hadn’t been able to these last few weeks. Savannah and Chris both got the chance to teach a yoga class, and Savannah was especially grateful for our friends who came to learn from her and for the opportunity to get back into the practice of teaching yoga.
Here, our friends Vinay and Ragindor cook delicious vegan meals. We loved eating healthy food, especially after the large amounts of lava cake, noodles, and egg rolls that were consumed in Kolakata. Many of us got to perform our “karmic yoga” in the form of prepping meals. I helped out with breakfast and got to learn about Vinay’s very interesting life of sustainability and travel. Kate and Emilia made chapati for lunch, and Emilia was excited by how quickly she learned how to cook them, but is still working on forming a perfect circle the way the local ladies do. Let it be known that Emilia has really been rocking the head bandana look this week. We all love it. Nate spent some time peeling and chopping vegetables with out friend from LA, Shalev.
We ate our meals overlooking the mountains from inside or sitting beside the marigolds, taking in the fresh air and sunlight. During our meal breaks, we broke out bananagrams and the students joined in on our favorite game. Shalev impressed us with a very fancy set of vocabulary. This week, Ford could often be seen walking around the dining room, happily rallying people into joining him for another game.
During our two work sessions of the day, Mark taught us the various stages of making an adobe brick house and we got to working! First, armed with a pickax, we used the dirt we collected, sifted it so that small rocks were part of the brick and mortar mix, and fine grains to form base coat plaster. Next, everyone’s favorite: pugging! Fun fact: the term comes from the Hindi word “pug,” which means “footprint.” So, in case you’re wondering, this means we got to roll up our pants, and shove our feet into a pile of mud, dancing and stomping around to turn it into some lovely mud. Oh yes, you can guarantee much much was splashed on faces and later found all over our clothes and hair – well worth it.
After three rounds of pugging and letting water seep into the mud overnight, we were ready to make our bricks! It was at this point we met the most inspirational and toughest person here: Pushpa. This adorable little lady defies all standards by being the first female skilled mason in the area! This work has always been passed down to sons, but Pushpa, in all her glory, went to the greatest masons of the area, asking of the particulars of their craft. At the time, they thought nothing of it, but now she is as good as, if not better than, every male mason on campus, and even in this area. Needless to say, we’re now avid members of the Pushpa fan club.
The language barrier was no match for Pushpa: her teaching is showing us how it’s done and encouraging us with a heartwarming smile. She would wet the wooden brick mold, smack the perfect amount of mud into the mold, and with one swift movement, perfectly flatten the brick with water. After a gentle lift of the mold, voila! At first, we lacked her finnesse, but we quickly caught on. During the process, Pushpa wasn’t hesitant to join in on (or start) some light tossing of mud from above down to the brick makers.
Next, we took a shot at real-life tetris in the form of masonry. Given the standard strength requirements for bond patterns, we were split up into groups and eventually all came to discover the Fleming bond! It’s the strongest and most commonly used in the world. It was in this trial and error way that ancient cultures on opposite ends of the world came to this same discovery. With help from local masons, we learned the art of placing bricks and mortar to create columns, being careful to keep level surfaces, both vertically an horizontally. Although a bit wonky at first, our columns came together well.
For anyone in need of a masonry brush-up, the second coat of plaster is smoother than the first. What gives it that super smooth quality you ask? Well, here, the secret ingredient is none other than cow poop. Kate, Chris, and Nate joined in on the pugging and handling of our naturally scented mix (have no fear, hands were thoroughly washed before food was eaten). We all learned to plaster the walls and enjoyed the very meditative practice of flattening rough patches and creating a uniform surface.
As we worked, Mark and the local masons came around to lend a hand, teaching us their tips and tricks and smiling at a job well done. Through every step of the process, Mark explained the scientific and traditional reasons behind how different aspects of this building method come together to form structures that will stand for centuries, through earthquakes and monsoons. The self proclaimed “dirt nerd” spent time every evening teaching us and sharing ways in which we can change little aspects of our daily lives so that we may be kinder to the earth.
Mark shared his seemingly infinite wisdom with us. His presence was so calm and just radiated light. We were all touched by his dedication to helping others. His words resonated with us; Kate continues to think about how he noted the many noises that we hear in the city without noticing and the toll it takes on our minds to process them all. Since, she has noted how many sounds she hears in what we think to be silence. Mark’s message encouraged Chris to be more aware he could create mindfulness and self-compassion in his own life to be present in his relationship with the earth. This experience has taught him, and all of us, to be more aware of how our actions affect the earth, to make the tough decisions to live sustainably, and to forgive ourselves and others when we steer off course.
Here, we formed part of this loving community of students, volunteers, and villagers. Savannah, Dani, and Emilia got to room with two students, Damini and Pauvrita, in their pristine dorm room (ooo, ahh). They befriended two unexpected visitors, Henry and Jim, as the large spiders that hung out in their room came to be named. They overstayed their welcome by a few days, until Kate returned successful, with Henry held in between two bowls in their hands, to be set back into the forest. The whereabouts of Jim have yet to be determined, but hey he’s keeping our friends company!
Nate, Fordham, Catherine, and I opted for the canvas tent week-long sleepover. Catherine loved getting to sleep in a canvas tent, which reminds her of the wonderful memories of camp. Chris and Kate spent their nights in the main building, greeting their neighbor Mark each morning and evening – always to be welcomed with one of his adorable smiles.
We enjoyed cultivating relationships with the other students, especially in being able to ask the burning questions about India. Our conversations sparked interesting discussions about social justice, gender roles, and arranged marriage. We all bonded over our love for sweets and learned of their favorite places in their home cities for when we visit.
While on a quest for a clinic, Dani and Kate got to explore the adorable mountain city of Bir, the home to the second-most popular place for paragliding in the world. Although we were unable to take the leap ourselves (risk management!), we enjoyed watching a sky full of paragliders flying through the air, spinning around and doing tricks. Next time that’ll be us!
We have had an incredible week in Dharmalaya, and will greatly miss the loving community and serenity. We are thankful for Mark and the villagers for taking us in with open arms. As a show of our gratitude, Fordham made a house shaped brick with “Shanti” written on it. Mark loved it and said it would be displayed in the meditation room (quite the honor), and made one last of his classic “dad” jokes: “See, I told you that you’d be able to make a mud house by the end of the week!” As we said our goodbyes, we wished everyone the best of luck in their travels and studies, for the students remaining for a four-month internship. We will miss the love, the mountains, the marigolds, and the star-dazzled sky, but know that we will return one day to see how far the community has grown (and if we did a good job of building those columns!).
Until next time,
Shanti.