Buddhist monasteries

6345789

I am told that you need a permit to visit a couple of towns somewhere near medikeri that have lots of buddhist monks and monastery's Can somebody tell me the name of this place.
cheers
brixton

theyyamdancer

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abracax

Bylakuppe, just outside of Kushalnagar. Regarding permits, I always just wander in myself, and I look more like a tourist than anyone in India. I did once get a special permit when I applied for a visa, but nobody asked to see it.

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machadinha

Bylakuppe officially requires a permit to visit yes. Note it's not them that require it, it's the state government that does.

To what extent it's enforced on the ground I can't tell you.

See also http://www.namdroling.org/ ; and note that is just one of the main monasteries here, there are quite a few spread over the wider area.

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abracax

If you read the instructions for visiting the Tibetan area, you soon realize that they are impossible. For example, you must apply for the permit after you get your India visa, and the permit can take up to four months to arrive. That means you would need at least a six month visa for a two month trip! Basically, the Indians don't want you to go there. Fortunately, the local cops are both lazy and corrupt.

machadinha

I really don't know; I just washed up there, but that was early 1990's.

I only heard about these permits years later. Drove through the area just recently (looked rather a bit more developed); wasn't under the impression getting out there would be a hassle. But to stay for a few nights, who knows.

I think these permits don't necessarily need to be interpreted so nefariously; they may as well be meant to protect the community. You are really intruding upon them by just washing up, while they're very welcoming, one should be aware of this.

Also, there are the usual tensions in the area with locals feeling like Why do these Tibetans get some privileges, and we don't? And yada yada.

(The entire suggestion also make no sense: India has provided a welcoming home to Tibetan exiles from the beginning, i.e., the 1950's. For its own political reasons no doubt; but it's hardly like they mean to keep the fact away from the general public. That is why these settlements exist in the first place. And no, they weren't created as a tourist attraction. People live and work and study there, and generally try to get by, doing their farming and whatnot.)

Realize also and by extension that this isn't Dharamsala. And there are serious local tensions yes (or there were at the time).

Beyond that, I'm getting sick and tired of these suggestions of all Indian officials being "corrupt," sorry. That seems to be mostly an exclamation by tourists who find it convenient if the rules work for them, and not when they work against them.

(And then not to mention lazy, I mean please. White man's burden, anyone?)

6345789

I suppose i may wll get a fine, deported ETC a shame as i realy wanted to visit. Are there clear signs in the area saying "no entry"?
brixton

machadinha

No, not at all, or not that I know of.

And so like Abracax confirmed I would suspect that just showing up there, no one would give a hoot. Moreover, when I visited there was no tourist infrastructure whatsoever there; whereas I take it now there are guesthouses and restaurants and whatnot.

I wouldn't have too many qualms about just going; but then one does hear different reports about it. (Many indicating it is indeed OK; and then some that don't.)

You could contact the folks at that site I gave above, they do mention they appreciate prior notice, and that a permit is required. Again, I strongly suspect that is what is required of them though, not something they came up with.

But driving through there just last spring, it seemed vibrant and welcoming as ever (rather a bit more so than it was back then, really, and much more visible if anything), nothing secluded or anything about it at all (and lots of Tibetans around, indeed). Least one could do is just hop off here and see how far it gets you; I guess the worst that could happen is for you to be asked to leave for the night. (If so, one could find a bed in either Madikeri to the west or Mysore to the east, which it's sort of situated between. Neither is very far; I think it's about a three-hour drive between either, off the top of my head. Or there are smaller places around to stay, of course. I suppose e.g. Hunsur here could be a good bet, which is really just next door, smack-bang in the area itself. There's a small nature reserve in the area as well btw that could be interesting to visit; this does indeed and by all accounts, including what I was told by locals just now, require making arrangements with the local forest department.) It's really just situated along a bus stop or two, three in the much wider area (it's something of a conglomerate of separate settlements I think), so it's not markedly different than driving through a couple of whatever villages (well, except for the sudden and noticeably Tibetan character and gateways and stuff all around then. Which is in itself again entirely localized, you'll have driven through before you know it. In fact it struck me how this should be a fairly psychedelic experience to anyone driving through who isn't aware this exists here Like, what the hell was that just passing by???)

6345789

That happened to me, I was on bus from medikeri and bang loads of tibetan monks. I read up about it on my return to UK. I think i am am going to take a gamble and get off the bus and see what happens. I will post back here with info
cheers
brixton

machadinha

Thanks, and you really should, yes. (Both go, and report.)

I also see clearly your interest now -- it's an amazing place, isn't it

I don't think you have much to worry about no -- hey, if some cop sends you away, so be it, right. If you've already been to India, I'm sure you'll know how to handle the situation. Dire consequences I would not expect no. (But, in case you don't know how to handle it, don't make a stink of it no matter what you do; best to just agreeably oblige (nor give in to any suggestions of having to pay your way out, should that come into question. Well, not if you can help it anyway. Like I'd indicated above though, not all officials there are crooks, in fact I just recently ran into my very first instance where a cop was even making a suggestion of wanting to shake me down -- and then in the end he didn't, just showing his muscles no doubt. Quite typically, we parted in the friendliest of ways. So what had I done? Oh, I'd been caught red-handed both smoking (just tobacco, mind) and drinking on a train -- two big no-no's on a train.)

It would be interesting to hear from Abracax when he last visited, and if this included day visits, or overnight stays, or whatever. Despite my having reacted somewhat crankily to him above, ahem. He's a member I well respect I should say (and by far my senior here).

So anyway let's hope he (she? No idea really) cares to look into this again.

mayur4102

Kushanagar and Mundgod