Indians have always been great fans of pilgrimage holidays. Except, a pilgrimage is never really a holiday, is it? Well, here’s a chance to combine the two... in exotic parts of Asia, too.
South Korean tourism is actively promoting the concept of Temple Stays to outbound Indian travellers. A temple stay is designed as a cultural experience programme to help people understand Korean Buddhism better. From meditation to prostration, chanting and unbelievably early morning wake-up calls, if you have always harboured the desire for a sneak peek into the life of a monk, here’s your chance. Carnivores, however, are advised to stay away, as meals consist of rice and vegetables.
The Temple Stay programme was initially conjured up for foreigners visiting Korea during the 2002 FIFA World Cup held in Korea and Japan. The programme was so successful that over 35 temples still offer it. As a word of caution, don’t expect two nights in a temple to be life-transforming. Keep in mind that most programmes are specially designed for tourists, so instead of discreetly fitting into the existing system, most temples will create an environment specially for you, complete with English translators. In return, you leave a “donation”.
Some temple stays in Thailand are a little more austere, and therefore not suitable if you’re going to be bashful about doing the alms rounds in the local village. In some temples you’re “treated” to a single meal a day, often consisting of whatever’s been donated. Temple stays can range from an over-nighter to a few months.
In Japan you can actually choose a temple over a hotel. An overnight stay doesn’t necessarily involve getting included in community activity but you can join in their Zen meditation and partake of their shojin ryori (as their meal is called) if you choose to. The lodging at temples is called shukubo and the price ranges from around 5,000 to 15,000 yen (Rs 1,600 to 5,000) per night, so it’s often the most reasonably priced option in an exorbitant country. Mount Koya is the most popular destination for Japanese temple stays, owing to the fact that there are over 100 temples in the region.
Often, it is the tranquil beauty of the surroundings that will make even the crafting of lotus lanterns or beautifying of temple grounds seem like fun. Who knows, you might even want to stay back to be ordained.
The monk who lent his home
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Arati Menon Carroll / Mumbai Jul 22, 2007, 20:08 IST
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