The Novice
Tibet: Drepung Monastery 2007
He stands before a Thanka, a Buddhist painting depicting some aspect of the religion. He’s been sent to get hot water for tea. I noticed the monks at this monastery had a solar method for heating their water. A piece of metal…I guess it was metal…in the shape of a parabola, painted silver on one side, stood in one of the open spaces and faced the sun. Well, there was no sun but it faced where the sun would be if there were a sun. A tea kettle filled with water hung on a trivet. And I suppose it would boil if you gave it enough time.
I hope his beautiful smile means that he is happy. I always worry about these children, taken from their family to live a regimented life in a rat-infested monastery far from home.