Reportage – 2005

Mundgod Diary

MUNDGOD, India, 30 December 2005

The last time Mundgod bustled was 10 years ago when the Dalai Lama gave a Kalachakra teaching there. Today, ten years after that event, the village doesn't show much change. It has the same isolated and tedious look it had then. The very first impression of the settlement — the pot-holed roads — presages the deplorable state of affairs of the settlement.

The next time Mundgod buzzes will be in 2007. By then the Drepung monastery will have its new hall finished. Build at a whopping 1,500,000,00 Indian rupees, it will be the biggest monastic building with the largest prayer hall. This architecture of this otherwise monumental piece is flawed with way too many pillars in the hall. The Dalai Lama will inaugurate the building with a teaching sermon for a few days as part of the inaugural ceremony.

The internet is perhaps standing out as the most obvious and tangible sign of the progress the settlement has made. At a speed of 56 kbps, it prompts users to leave the machines sooner than do some real surfing, although the few cyber cafes do remain full throughout the day. More such cafes are evidently needed. Karma, an owner of one of the cyber cafes at camp three, say they expect to have broadband connection by end of March 2006.

Another developmental piece of work is the new Ganden prayer hall, and similarly a new hospital being build is noteworthy. Those apart, the settlement is in a weary state of affairs.

Established in 1966, the settlement has 11 camps including two monastic camps, Drepung and Ganden, which along with a few other smaller monasteries have around 8,000 monks, of the total population of around 15,000 people in the settlement.

Farming is the chief source of income for the settlement — growing rice, cotton and maize. The production was fair this year due to good monsoon season. If the monsoon fails, the crops fail too. The popular woollen garment business by Tibetans is the settlement's second major economic activity, with people moving to major Indian cities during winter for the business.

There are three schools, one senior and two junior, run by the government of India. A young man shakes his head when asked about the standard of the education at these schools.

The is no library or other learning centres. Karma Dhondup, the chief of the Tibetan Cooperative Society, says that the settlement is in need of such centres. "There is definitely a need for community learning centres where people can learn Tibetan language, culture and other educational trainings."

The health situation, Karma says, is not that bad. TB is a major problem, but the settlement has a qualified TB specialist doctor and a well funded TB ward to tend the patients.

Losar, the Tibetan New Year, is the time when there are some cultural and sports events. There are cultural dance and football competition among the camps.

After Losar, the settlement remain without much activity throughout the year. "There are just too many restrictions. We need some freedom to make some changes here so that it becomes liveable for youngsters," says Jampa, who owns a small soda shop at camp three.

"I don't know if it would be proper to call the administrators 'orthodox', but there definitely is generation gap," Jampa adds.

Cable TV network was not allowed to be put in privately, discos and snookers are allowed here. And, there are no other recreation activities. For discos young people go to Goa, which is six hours from the settlement, and youngsters go to play snooker at Indian-run snooker places in Mundgod town, the functional town just a couple of kilometres away.

Karma admits that it is difficult for youth to live in the settlement after their college degrees. There are no avenues where they can practice their skills, and if there are jobs, they are not decently paid.

Like among most of today's Tibetan youth, dreaming of America and the West is what most opt for. Or else leave for Bangalore or Chennai for a better quality life.

The old and small post office, housed in a shack-like bulding, miraculously not weathering at all in ten years, has started the Western Union money transfer service a couple of weeks ago. This perhaps speaks of the toll the settlement has experienced of the people moving to the US or West. An ATM machine will also be installed at Mundgod town. These may bring in some services and conveniences, but to reach there would still be the biggest inconvenience. A good road is the first need of the settlement now.

In all these predicaments prevailing in the settlement, the thing they all have in common is pinning hopes in Dharamshala and waiting for the Tibetan government-in-exile to announce the one ultimate call — for the return to Tibet.