ABSTRACT
The two chorten at the last turn in the valley before Lamayuru are but the first of a long series which, alternating with mani, follow the path as it curves gently down across the side of the valley. At the end there is a veritable forest of chorten and mani of every size and shape, all up the slope, leaning against each other and mingling with the few houses of the village. Behind the village rise high cliffs of yellowish clay, pierced with caves and broken vertically, like narrow chimneys, into towers and more or less detached shafts, and the even line of their summit is topped by a mass of buildings, the temples and chapels of the gompa of Lamayuru. It is a picturesque and impressive sight; and the first effect of its unexpected appearance does not alter or wear off. As we approached the village, the details, becoming more clearly visible, increased the grandeur and intensity of the first impression. In the meantime the little streets between one chorten and another, and from house to house, and the upper terraces of-the houses, had become peopled and animated with, I believe, the entire population of Lamayuru. At the entrance to the village there was a dense crowd of people, in the midst of which a brilliant, many-coloured patch—violet, green, red—indicated the presence of women in their best clothes, ready with hospitable offerings—flowers and meal and ‘chang', the Tibetan beer. As we approached nearer we heard a roll of drums and a flourish from the trumpets of the mon, from the lower part of the village; this was immediately answered by the music of the lamas, drawn up on the highest terrace of the monastery. When finally we arrived at the little bungalow, where our personal baggage waited in heaps, deposited shortly before by the caravan which follows all our movements (the heavy baggage goes direct and separately to Leh), the whole population crowded round on the small space in front, and men and 52women performed alternately, in my honour, their characteristic dances with little steps against the beat of the music, moving at first slowly and with an almost complete immobility of the whole body, then gradually quicker and quicker till they end with extremely fast movements accompanied by contortions of the body, the arms, and even the hands.
