Tashiding Monastery: A sacred Guru Rimpoche blessed –IV

Without a doubt, the land of Sikkim is full of mystery; the more you believe, the more you understand the mystery hidden inside it, and the legend guiding this mystic land smiles back. I have often heard stories about mysterious magical tales that relive the world of that fantasy, which people still accept as accurate once Sikkim is part of it. Some are enveloped in the footprints of learned men, some strange symbols are said to be the footprints of animals, statues that pour tears, or even those that sweat. There are many more such examples to follow, but I believe these mysterious happenings are beyond the common man's understanding. Only the time immortal has the secrets to these mysteries.  

  

Tashiding is one of the most mysterious places, and there are also a few mysterious materials that these materialistic worlds find difficult to consider. As I said earlier in my first article, this was my first visit to this mystic place, and I feel I missed out on a few other things, which shall be dealt with some other day. There were three of us on this Tashiding tour: myself, Saila Kaka (my father's younger brother), and Praveen Daju, my cousin's brother. Through this article I would like to talk about four strange-looking rocks near Tashiding Monastery, the local people still reason to have some mystical relations. All these rocks are half a dozen steps away from one another. 

The first of the four rocks has a small hole in it, and the legend goes that if a person's finger goes through that hole with closed eyes from a 10-12 footstep walk three successive times, it is believed his wishes are fulfilled. Kaka tried many times but each time he came closer to it but failed, even Praveen Daju made a valiant effort without success. But for me lady luck was on my side I succeeded in my first instance but did not try to attempt it later. I needed to be more confident on the other occasion. 

 

Next to it was a small rock where it is believed that resting down the knee at that rock three times could heal joint pain! It is hard to judge, but faith is all that can do. I tried it out, and I was followed by the rest of my tour mates. I do sometimes feel pain in my joints, but I do not know whether there was some hitch in my faith that I did not have any difference in the pain I am still continuing with. 

To its left lay a rock that our local tour guide, whom we had found at the monastery, informed us it had healing power if we rubbed our back against it. As to our local guide's instructions, we all followed them. 

The last of the mysterious rocks that we came across that day was the one in which there was a crack in the middle, and it is believed that on an auspicious day, one can hear the sound of mantras being chanted or sometimes even strange sounds of river water flowing are heard, our guide told us. 

We were told about other strange healing rocks found in that vicinity, but due to poor light, we had to hurry back to our vehicle. There was hope that some other day, we might return just to take a glimpse of those mysterious rocks that have been the guardian deity to this mystic Tashiding.