It's three days of time off, and I don't really have much to do. Calls for a Twitter thread.

Some years ago, I spent a week living with the monks in a remote location high in the Himalayas. I watched them go about their lives, tagged along with them and made some great friends.

Located on a steep mountain slope facing Spiti River at an altitude of over 10,000 feet, Ki Monastery was established more than a thousand years ago and has been the most important center of Buddhist studies and practices for the people of Spiti Valley.

The monastery is home to about 300 monks and novices of all ages, as though it's a large family. Traditionally, every home in the valley sends one son to the monastery to perpetuate the tradition of monasticism.

The heart of the monastery is the colourfully decorated dukhang, or the prayer hall. Traditionally, Tibetan Buddhist prayer halls have identical decor made of a chapel in front of which are row seating for the monks. The walls of covered end-to-end with frescoes.

It's only natural that the day at the monastery begins with prayers in dukhang. Daily prayers can be long and elaborate, filled with rituals that combine with sounds of drums and bugles. The novices are required to be at the prayer, while senior monks may be away at other tasks.

Young novices begin their education very early in their childhood in residence at the monastery. They are an amazing bundle of energy, and thankfully, get enough time to let it out everyday.

They go through rigorous education as anyone would, moving from stage to stage and even having to face examinations!

Novice monks at a study-session on a bright summer morning...

As any institution, the monastery needs to manage its expenses. Donations from the villages are one of the important sources, while they also own some agricultural land in the valley. Green peas and barley are grown in summer, while the land has to be left uncultivated in winter.

One day, I joined in to pluck the peas. Villagers volunteer to work at the field, supervised by monks. There's much chatter all through and girls giggle all day. The peas are uncontrollably delicious. I think I ate half of what I plucked!

Monks take turns to for daily chores. When I was there, Lama Takpa was assigned to kitchen duties. Momos, thukpa, rice and dal made up the menu on most days. On some days, I spent the entire day in the kitchen yapping with the lama or just enjoying the warmth.

It's worth stepping back a bit to understand the magnificent setting that this monastery is located in. While it's already high up the valley, the mountains reach out to greater height. High above, you see Chau Chau Kang Nilda peak, over 6,000m high and perennially snow-capped.

Spiti's population deems Ki Monastery as the spiritual center of the valley. Perhaps a hundred sparsely populated villages dot the valley, with a population barely over 10,000. Each one of these villages is in a magnificent setting, like Langza in the shadow of Mt.CCKN

As the novices grow into monks, they can opt to own a small part of the monastery's premises and build their own small abode. Older monks often use this as their base and travel around either in search of higher education or greater pursuits.

Ensuring discipline of the monastic life and a smooth flow of everyday events according to stipulated rules is overseen by the head monk.

Curiously, current head of the monastery is not a monk and doesn't live here! Lochen Tulku Rinpoche is a reincarnate spiritual leader, lives in the plains and visits often. He is the most revered person in the entire valley and people gather in large numbers during his presence.

Tibetan Buddhist tradition has survived in the arid cold desert of Spiti for over a millennium. Several monasteries like Ki dot the landscape. Despite its remoteness and inaccessibility until recent years, people have learned to survive and thrive in this inhospitable region.

Despite connectivity and movement of people over the recent decades, the valley continues to revere its monks, and many families still send one of their children to the monastery. Traditions are still honoured as they always were.

Buddhist practices remain central to the way of life in the valley. At certain stage in life, many people give up their everyday responsibilities and spend their days in prayer, accumulating positive karma.

The valley has prospered with better connectivity and the lifestyle is becoming more comfortable. And yet, the balance with tradition has been retained with the changing times. Monastic tradition has not only survived intact, but is also thriving with changing times.

With over a thousand years behind it in perpetuating the traditions in the valley, with its accumulated knowledge, may the monastery continue to shine light on the people of Spiti for millenniums that are to come ahead! [end]