An evening stroll around the monastery

Sera monastery has expanded in the forty years that it has been here. The central area - a 'hub' - contains the oldest buildings; single storey simple homes with low-pitched, red-tiled roofs and thick-plastered walls white-washed against the Indian sun. Some of these central dwellings have a small courtyard temptingly hidden behind a wall, or a single balcony where older occupants sit, passing the 108 beads of their Mala one-by-one through their fingers; others buildings open directly onto the road. Sometimes the insides are visible through open doors, and sometimes hidden behind colourful Tibetan door curtains that allow air in whilst offering occupants their privacy. Alleyways twist between road-side dwellings and offer limited views of other small homes beyond. This central hub contains a handful of shops, a cyber cafe, a 'hotel' (here the word hotel is used to mean cafe - there is no room to stay) and a cafe. During the daytime auto rickshaws wait here for fares to nearby settlements and towns.

A little further on from this hub the open space is wider and the old buildings here are long and low with gardens around them. Coconut trees, potted plants, and sometimes grass. The more ornate have climbers that cover balconies and offer a natural sun shade. Walls punctuated with simple turnstile gates protect this greenery from the ubiquitous cows that freely roam. A single chair on a balcony awaits its regular occupant and maroon robed washing hangs out to dry in the artificial house-light of the evening.

New buildings rise up to dwarf these simple dwellings. These are multi storied, often flat roofed buildings with balconies that support a wealth of monks chanting and memorising their texts. Some recite the Tibetan alphabet, others recite Tibetan scriptures and the chanting floats up from many homes to mingle with the surrounding sound of the evening's cicadas.
Further afield and more new buildings are rising up, sponsored by foreign supporters. Sera continues to expand and develop. There are two guest houses in the monastery complex, and others outside in the villages. It is a peaceful place to visit away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.