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Khirav Gompo Dorje

Gompo Dorje was a spirited man. He was a keen hunter. An ace at taking down mountain animals like bharal and ibex – a single hunt could see him through several days. He had grown up watching snow leopards sneak up on their prey while mounting an attack. He used a similar technique to hunt, the only exception being that he used his bow and arrow to take his prey by surprise. He had walked the vast valleys hunting prey and lived alone at the edge of Kibber. People of Kibber called him Khirav Gompo Dorje – Khirav meant hunter – in acknowledgement of his knowledge of the wild and his superior hunting skills.

Khirav Gompo Dorje preferred his own company. He did have one curious habit though – each time he hunted an animal, he would divide it in four equal parts. He would unfailingly offer one part to a revered Lama who meditated in a cave at Bandi-Farah nallah. This cave was at the edge of a cliff face. Not one for the faint hearted. One false step and you risked tumbling down the deep gorge on top of which the cave was situated. Few had the courage to get to this cave to seek the Lama’s blessings. Sturdy and surefooted, Gompo Dorje was the Lama’s most frequent visitor. He would leave his offering of meat at the entrance of the cave and leave. The Lama would accept this offering and leave the bones at the entrance of the cave after consuming the meat.

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This routine had gone on for many years. But our lives witness change just as the seasons for a bountiful spring is often followed by a harsh winter. Gompo Dorje too hit a rough patch. Days turned to weeks as he struggled to hunt down a meal. Not even a wooly hare, which he might otherwise have ignored. He wondered what could be done. Suddenly, it struck him! Maybe he ought to meet the Lama and seek his blessings to pull through this difficult phase.

Though he hadn’t eaten in days, he made the long, treacherous walk to the Lama’s cave. At the entrance of the cave, he caught sight of all the bones the Lama had disposed off. Bones everywhere! It felt like someone had woven a mat out of bones and laid it at the entrance. It occurred to him that he had consumed a lot more than the Lama had. How could he?! He was overcome with grief. Gompo Dorje didn’t think twice before jumping off the ledge in remorse. Mountain people believe that when one truly sheds the weight of one’s misdeeds, they are set on the path of salvation. Gompo Dorje was seen flying high, onwards into a different realm.

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The Lama observed this episode from his seat in the cave. A thought crossed his mind. If a lowly hunter could find the path to salvation, surely someone of his stature who had lived an austere life, deserved it more. He got up from his seat and jumped off the ledge. But nothing is heavier than one’s inflated ego. Lama tumbled down the deep gorge, never to be seen again. 

Bharal a is Himalayan wild sheep with a bluish coat and backward-curving horns. 

Ibex is a wild mountain goat with long, thick ridged horns and a beard, found in parts of Lahaul and Spiti, including Pin Valley.

Kibber is a village in Spiti valley which was previously an important center of trade and activity.

Lama is a buddhist monk.

Bandi-Farah is a beautiful gorge near Kibber. Khirav Gompo Dorje’s cave is still visible from this place.

Wooly hare is a shy and usually solitary animal, and although sometimes active by day, it is mostly nocturnal.

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