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Date: June 9th, 2008 Participants: DhilungK, GauravJ, AbhishekPC, BiswaS, PawanP, PradeepG, IshworM, DijupT, SureshT, AshishS, BabinsS, PragyaR, ManishS, RajK, SushmitaP, ManikM, RaviS and AbhishekS Hiking Route: Naagdhunga – Dahachowk – Dharmaraj Foundation Monastery– Ramkot – Amitabha Monastery Total Distance covered: 16 kms (approx) Duration: 8 hours Theme: A Walk to Serenity Report By: Pragya/Manish Caption: Bishwa/Gaurav Photos: Dhilung/Pradeep/Ishwar/Bishwa/Dijup/Manik Creative Support: Dijup/Dhilung/Pallavi/Pragya Front row:[IshworM, DijupT, BabinsS, ManikM] Middle row:[PradeepG, ManishS, PragyaR, GauravJ, SushmitaP, AbhishekPC, BishwaS] Last Row:[SureshT, RajK, DhilungK, PawanP, RaviS, AbhishekS] Finally, it was our turn. After hearing all the hiking stories from our intern friends, Manish and I couldn't resist giving our names for the next hiking. Among the team of 17, five of us were giving our first shot at D2 hiking with a lot of excitement and curiosity. Sushmita and I were the only female hikers in the team ready for the unlimited adventure that the hiking sessions were reputed for. We set out at around 7:30 am to our hiking route from Nagdhunga to Sitapaila. The cool and refreshing weather was enhanced by some real good numbers played by DJ Ravi and AbhisekhS on the way. When we reached our destination, we were literally amazed at the beauty of the place. The view of the hills, forest along with the fresh air recharged our souls. As truly said that Nepal is full of natural beauty, you only need to go out and explore. Climbing through the steep hills was the hardest part of the trip for Dijup and me. Dijup kept saying ‘Bhagwan mujhe uthaale’ when he felt hopeless during accent and I felt the same at times. But with the help and support of the team members we somehow made it to the top. On the way, some of the team members (Manik, Abhishek, and Dijup) chose to donate blood to the leeches though I didn’t get that opportunity. That was the first time I saw the leeches alive. Gaurav, Dhilung, Pradeep, Suresh, Manik, Bishwa and Ishwor captured some truly incredible shots. Their amazing photography deserves an award. The day was cloudy since morning and it rained at regular intervals all day. Despite the rain, we managed to keep walking. Babins had come with the full preparation along with his raincoat, towels and extra clothes although that was his first hiking in D2. Not a single moment was boring, thanks to such a wonderful team. We kept cracking jokes and making fun of each other throughout the journey. Abhishek PC’s constant concern throughout the hiking was encouraging. The amazing and spectacular view of mountains, hills, forests and a pleasant stroll through Amitabha Monastery at the end was the perfect reward for all the efforts we made. Seeing the rainbow was magnificent and the sound of wind chimes and the spiritual environment of the Monastery stimulated a feeling of positivity and serenity in all of us, and for a moment made us forget about the tiring feet and hungry stomach. Finally, after a peaceful and relaxing time in the monastery, we made our way back and headed downhill through an easy walk to Sitapaila drenched in rain. We were then picked up by the office van at around 6:30pm which took us for the final meal of the evening. It was a wonderful end to a brilliant day - the whole team was together for dinner, except Raj who had to part from us at Sitapaila. Nothing could summarize this hike better than this poem by Bishwa: "a walk to serenity" a walk to serenity through the plains and hills, through the shades of the pine trees away from this feverish place to a place where we can rest a walk to serenity where we discard our beast where silence tortures us the least where the sound of the chimes soothes our mind where the dark clouds pour rain instead of just a gloomy day where the eyes of the enlightened watches us with respect for we are at peace with the nature, with the world around us with the creatures, that surround us a walk to serenity a moment of peace a touch of the infinity a moment of bliss we walked the road we kissed the reason we met the non-existent beyond the horizon!

02 Start	03 A Smiling Welcome
04 Muddy,damp,fresh and fine	05 It looks great from up here
06 Three Stooges	07 Through the small village
08 Rainwave	09 Bud in the rain
10 A friendly chat with Ms Subedi	11 The Path To Serenity
12 The Serenity Gang	13 Visited Nepal -98
14 And That-s the consolation prize	15 Innocence
16 We Care	17 Manure for paddy fields
18 Rookies at Dahachowk Gate	19 The First Stop
20 Bhuddha inside the perspectives	21 Dharmaraja foundation at balambu
22 Colorful and peaceful	23 This monastry is under construction
24 What are they called	25 Freshness - Redefined
26 Lost and lonely	27 Cloud calling
28 Manik - Damn...You told me we would only be snapping pics at Gumbas	29 Open Space at the top
30 Love lies bleeding....	31 The Destination
32 The wait	33 The Descent I
34 The Descent II	35 You SUCK
36 Serpentine path	37 Pawan - I'm sure we go this way...
38 Pawan - D'oh	39 Lunch at farm
40 Through the fields	41 Mini Scarecrow
42 Through the jungle	43 Wild beauty
44 Tall and together	45 Ravi takes the hard route
46 Over the hills	47 Red Snow
48 Finally, Amitabh monastery welcomes us	49 Walk to Amitava
50 The architecture is magnificient	51 A nice side view
52 Kyabje Thuksey Rinpoche	53 Script for you
THE FIRST KYABJE THUKSEY RINPOCHE(1916-1983)His Eminence the first Thuksey Rinpoche Ngawang Gyurmed Palsang(1916-1983) was the son of the Tenth Gyalwang Drukpa and the grandson of Drubwant Shakya Shri.Under the guidance of many great masters of his time,Thuksey Rinpoche attained profound realization and became a well-known master of the tantric and the common vehicles. After coming into exile following the political upheaval in Tibet in 1959, Thuksey Rinpoche worked extremely hard to re-establish the Drukpa Lineage in India. He was instrumental in searching for and enthroning His Holiness the Twelfth Gyalwang Drukpa, and he became one of His Holiness' most important gurus. He even built a second Sangling Monastery for His Holiness in Darjeeling, and established a solid foundation to restore the teachings of the Drukpa Lineage. Thuksey Rinpoche always had a wish to build a spiritual community near the holy Swayambhunath Stupa, because his own grandfather had sent all his sons to restore the three holy stupas in Kathmandu. In an effort to fulfill his guru's wishes, His Holiness gradually developed the Druk Amitabha Mountain here, just next to the holy Swayambhunath Stupa. And for the same reason, Drubpon Ngawang Tenzin Palsang Yongdu and his group commissioned this statue of the late Thuksey Rinpoche, as a tribute to him and the Drukpa Lineage. This statue was completed and installed on 25th September 2007
54 The buddhists - they work,learn,practice,live	55 Perspective
56 Kathmandu - looks so far away	57 Serenity at last
58 Resting	59 The Sky The Limit
60 Two of the 5 Buddhas	61 Smiles and laughter
62 This is how we meditate(kind of)	63 Twins
64 The twins- shot	65 The hikers at Amitabh Monastery
66 Work hard	67 Looking back once again
68 Photography at its best	69 Shine On You Crazy Rainbow
70 The Third and final rainfall of the day	71 The rain stopped us once again
72 Codi March	73 Eating at Eden