Seeing Scarlet

Childhood in the monasteries of Nepal.

Ribung Monastery sits on a hill above Loh Village in the Manaslu Conservation Area. This well-known monastery attracts students from all over Nepal.

As the first gong rings, student monks silently rush outdoors, brushing their teeth and throwing on red jackets over their scarlet robes. Despite the cold, most are just wearing slippers over their socks.

On the final gong, students shuffle towards the main hall of the monastery, kicking off their slippers on the steps before stepping inside.

Sitting in concentric rings, students use whatever is available to elevate their texts and begin chanting. Their breaths cloud in the chill air and their mismatched chants reverberate around the hall.

I didn’t quite know what to expect, but the combined smell of wafting incense and the layers of sound felt like the veils to another world I was privileged to experience.

Students read the prayers out loud at their own pace, starting around 7 AM and continue until they’ve finished reading the entire text, usually around 10 AM.

When we first walked through the inner courtyard, everything was still and silent. There was chanting from somewhere far off. We headed through and paused to take in the view from the outside. As we turned to walk back through the courtyard, a scarlet blur dashed past us, closely followed by his friend.

An emergency?

Well, of sorts. The soccer game was on!

Between classes, prayers, and chores, students play under the watchful eye of a monk. World Cup fever doesn’t spare the monastery as the kids take turns being Ronaldo.