Little monk Urgyan

Most of the Nepali monks arrive at a young age at the monastery's, and often from very remote places in the Himalaya's. One of the new monks came from a place very high up in the mountains, near Tibet, called Nubri. This is also where Mingyur Rinpoche comes from. Urgyan, as his name was, didn't speak either Nepali or Tibetan, and except for 2 or 3 other small monks, no one at the monastery spoke his language! I inquired with one of the main Khenpo's: 'isn't it very difficult for these litle kids, being seperated from their family, and placed in a completely different surrounding (the city of Kathmandu) with people who he doesn't understand?'. 'No,' Khenpo said 'it's okey, these kids are from the mountains. They're very tough!'

Urgyan eating

It was clear Urgyan was not used to some of our new technological inventions. Everytime a plane comes by he stares with big open eyes to the sky, and he is thrilled when he is given a telephone to play with. But I'm sure Urgyan will find his way.

Urgyan with his friend