Above:The Baha'i House of Worship of Asia. Below:Life and times of your fellow World Citizen, Kolya

I stayed in Sikkim for just a week. While there we enjoyed some of the lovely views from the top of the ridge near the Sikkim Government Assembly building, enjoyed the lovely weather, most of the time, tried checking our email (but the connections were painfully slow, much of the time), tried to get a permit for the sacred lake near the Chinese-Indian border (but failed), visited the Tibetan museum and visited the large and impressive Rumtek monastery which is on the opposite side of the valley from but within sight of Gangtok.
I’ve been to many Tibetan monasteries but at Rumtek was the first time I was able to see some dancing Buddhist monks. It was interesting and I wouldn’t have minded watching for much longer than my friends were willing to. A slow meditative twirly dance. Although some of the young monks didn’t seem very engaged but just going through the motions. It was unfortunate for the atmosphere of the place that there were a lot of army guards with guns around the place. After researching for the reason from some locals I found out that this was because a few years ago there had been a bloody confrontation between different Tibetan sects who each wanted their own leader to become the new abbot of the monastery after the old one died. Since then, the successor has been decided but the Indian government won’t allow him to move in. Perhaps, they’re afraid it would cause trouble again, although probably they needn’t fear that.
Before leaving Gangtok the Ruhi Institute campaign at the Tadong Bahá'í School ended. I was able to enjoy the closing ceremony and performances. I’ll get the pics into my Yahoo Album eventually… And then sympathetically watched the tearful farewell of the youthful participants going home to their own towns and villages in other parts of Sikkim. It’s amazing how many people can fit in one jeep in Asia! I left Sikkim by jeep again—not in one quite so over crowded as the one with the Bahá'í friends though! Magen was staying longer but my other friend Ajay was able to go with me because he was on his way to Kalkotta. Ajay and I had a space for two people to ourselves, amazingly. Although they ended up wanting more money than what we’d agreed upon because of it. Despite the trouble Ajay didn’t give them any more though.
On the way back to Delhi I had a better (more expensive—higher class) ticket, because it was the only one available, and while it wasn’t the highest class, it still made the ride somewhat more comfortable.
On returning to Delhi, I only had one week there, which sped by too quickly! I said goodbye to my new and old friends volunteering at the Bahá'í House of Worship and my other friends. And left India on Valentines Day, not knowing when I might be able to return, since my Dad just retired and my parents moved back (from Delhi) to Osnabrück, in northwest Germany at the end of March (2004). Very sad! It’ll probably be at least 5 years before I manage to get back to India, but quite possibly more. However, with my parents back in the E.U. I am looking forward to visiting Germany again, and my Bro and friends in Berlin. I haven’t been there in about 3 years! By the time I get to visit it will have been at least 4 years!