Six monks from the Gaden Shartse Buddhist monastery will return to Durango for a week of special events before heading back to their home in Karnatka, India.
The monks will arrive Monday and stay through March 31. Karma Bhotia, who owns Himalayan Kitchen and will host the monks, said they were touched by the positive reception from Durango residents back in November, and wanted to return to Southwest Colorado to spend more time in the community.
“They said Durango felt very special for them with the community and people,” Bhotia said. “They said they wanted to come back again.”
Bhotia said the monks’ prior visit had a packed schedule – including guided meditations, teachings and the creation of a sand mandala. This time around, the monastics wanted to leave it more open-ended to spend more time with residents and explore Durango.
“This time we have less (of a) program, more open for the public,” Bhotia said. “At the same time, they will have more time to also see a little bit of Durango for themselves.”
The monks will still host events, Bhotia said.
At 5:30 p.m. March 24, the monks will lead a compassion empowerment event at the Durango Dharma Center. At 4 p.m. March 28, they will lead a guided healing at Dreams of Tibet, followed a group healing event from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. March 29 in the Himalayan Kitchen conference room.
Finally, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 31, the monks will prepare and serve a lunch buffet at Himalayan Kitchen, with proceeds going to their mission to build a new school in India. The lunch will cost $25 per plate.
“We wanted to make special food cooked by monks and served by monks,” Bhotia said. “Everybody in the community is open to come in and talk to them and eat with them.”
sedmondson@durangoherald.com
