Riding across the roof of the world. India
The Big Umbrella Travel
Tired of just having a holiday, looking for something more, want to give back to all the beautiful places you visit along the way? Want to really help people while having the most amazing experience of your life?
Come on this Journey and experience the beautiful culture that the Indian Himalayas has to offer while helping out those people that truly need your assistance.
Together we will build Green houses for physically and mentally challenged children and the elderly so they will be able to grow fresh food during the hard winters at the Mahabodhi International Meditation Centre in Leh/ Ladakhk India. We will build wind power generators in the area of the amazing Spitti Valley, and visit and assist the Khachodling Eye Clinic at lake Somerie near the border of Tibet with the Nomadic Highland people.
Riding across the roof of the world
Aug 2011 – 2012
Who; Experienced riders only, pillion passengers welcome, Bike Enthusiasts, Doctors, Dentist, Builders, and Gardeners, Filmmakers, Photographers, Students of all types anyone that wants to help, Families can follow in 4WD’s.
When; July15th – Aug 15th – 2011- 2012
Tour 1
Sanchu to Spitti Valley-Manali ,15 days. Aug 2012
At the end of this amazing tour we hope to be building windpower generators and sustainable housing for the small community of Spitty Valley. Under constant power outages, this small community goes sometime 3 to 4 days with out power. This makes life very difficult for the community, especially in winter months.
Tour 2
Manail to Leh building Green Houses at Mahabodi Aug 2011
5 day ride to Leh from Manali
Ride over the Himalayas, on the 2nd highest road in the world, through glacier fed waterfalls and rivers, the deepest mud of Rotung pass, to the finest dust of Morey Plains. Sleep in Gurkha tents with the kind and friendly locals and arrive in Leh to hot showers.
5 days building green houses at Mahabodi
Fly out from Leh or ride back to Manali/ Shringar or Dharamsala
Tour 3
Leh to Manali working with Khachodling Nomadic Eye Clinic at Lake Somerie
Riding back down the very beautiful Khato Valley to the Khachodling Eye and Doctor’s Clinic with the nomadic people from Lake Somerie, experiencing nomadic horse racing, culture shows, traditional Buddhist temples and the beautiful nomadic people of the Tibetan Highlands.
For More information please contact us at travel@thebigumbrella.org
Who we are supporting…..
Mahabodhi International Meditation Centre
The Mahabodhi International Meditation Centre (MIMC) is a great example of one man’s vision turning into reality. Venerable Bhikkhu Sanghasena established the Mahabodhi International Meditation Center in 1986 to offer both spiritual instructions as well as desperately needed humanitarian services to impoverished people in the remote land of Ladakh.
A dedicated team of social workers, teachers, doctors, monks, nuns, community leaders and care-providers have created an integrated community at Devachan, Ladakh, which provides comprehensive care to all segments of society: children, elderly, special needs individuals, monks & nuns, the sick, as well as those seeking spiritual development. The community has become a model for the region through sustainable, ecological development. With the support of our sponsors we hope to be able to contribute our part to this goal by serving the people of Ladakh. You are most welcome to join us in this effort.
Mahabodhi Home for the Aged, Handicapped and Destitute
Due to many reasons, Ladakh traditionally practiced a system of strong family unity. For example, the possession of a limited amount of cultivable land meant the family had to safeguard property from being fragmented. This family system ensured the elder their future security, surrounded by family members, and necessary care. However, with the advent of new job opportunities and improved economic conditions, members of the family have started to live separately, or migrated to other towns. This situation has resulted, in many cases, with the abandonment of the elderly. The family support system has weakened, and the elderly now experience unprecedented vulnerability and insecurity.
The concept of geriatric care is therefore of a recent origin in Ladakh, a condition requiring adequate attention to strengthen social support systems for the elderly. Ven. Sanghasena, the founder, and president of Mahabodhi, once again pioneered the establishment of a home for the Old Age Home at Mahabodhi. This program indeed translates the Buddha’s teachings of loving kindness and compassion into action.
The Mahabodhi International Meditation Center has been successfully operating the Home for the Aged and Destitute for the past 10 years. The home had initial support of Rev. Mother Park Chung Soo of Korea and blessings of His Eminence Ven. Toklan Rimpochey, the then Minister of Ladakh Affairs, Jammu & Kashmir (Indian Administered Jammu & Kashmir). The purposes and objectives of the home are to provide the aged, destitute and handicapped people with a homely, peaceful, secured, healthy and spiritual-worshipping environment. At present there are 28 elderly residents along with 3 mentally and physically challenged young adults (one boy and two women). They all lead a peaceful and secured life at the home. Open space, in company with the school children, in proximity of the hospital and of the provision of other necessary amenities, ensures the residents a happy and peaceful life at the home.
In addition to providing the residents a safe physical and emotional environment, the Mahabodhi International Meditation Center also hopes to create greater social awareness by educating the younger generation, family members and others, who are concerned with the welfare of the elderly, on the problems faced by the aged.The residents of the Mahabodhi Home for the Aged and Destitute are provided with free room and board, free access to the Mahabodhi Karuna Charitable Hospital, as well as access to all the social and spiritual activities that are available at the Mahabodhi Devachan Campus and those in and around Leh. The verandah has been glazed, which serves as a glass room, and provides warmth in the winter months. More bathrooms and toilets have also been added. The whole building has been repainted recently. A beautiful garden has been developed with a variety of flowers, trees and vegetables that are taken care of by the residents.
www.mahabodhi-ladakh.org
Khachodling- Medical Services for the Himalayas
Pilgrimages
Khandro-la specialises in leading pilgrimages as a spiritual practice.
On pilgrimage we open heartedly visit holy sites where great masters have meditated. Khandro-la enjoys sharing her expertise of the Himalayan regions, her family connections to the great places and practitioners of this area, and acting as a cultural bridge between east and west. Khandro-la has recently begun leading pilgrimages also to sacred sites in other countries.
Khachodling’s inner meaning is that wisdom is the ground from which compassion radiates. The Khachodling vision therefore manifests as different projects in the service of humanity.
We, from many different walks of life, galvanise together in the spirit of wisdom and care, and engage in these projects that are guided by Khandro-la, with the motivation and action for the deepest benefit. In this way Khachodling is dharma in action.
The guiding principles of a Khachodling project are the genuine teachings of the unbroken lineage of Lord Buddha.
In particular Khachodling projects are:
Spiritually rooted in the Drukpa Kargyud tradition of Tibetan Buddhism and infused with bodhicitta
Self sustainable
Eco-friendly
Dialogue and action is based on mutual respect and love.
Especially between communities that are
lay/monastic, east/west, women/men
The majority of Khachodling projects in the East take place in the Indian Himalayas. Khandro-la’s family lineage is deeply respected especially in this region and Khandro-la herself was born there. Khachodling aims to provide spiritual and humanitarian services to these people. Their culture is becoming extinct. Modernisation affects these areas and its remoteness and lack of services mean that it is increasingly difficult to maintain valuable ancient traditions. Khachodling focuses on respecting these cultures and due to Khandro-la’s long revered association with these areas Khachodling is in a unique position to be able to provide respected and relevant services.
Projects in these areas
Medical Services for the Himalayas
Eye Restoration for Nomads – since 2007 Khachodling provides an annual eye care camp for remote nomads at Lake Tsomoiriri, Ladakh. Focus is now on also training locals to act as “barefoot nurses”
East-West Hospital at Mulbeck, Ladakh – to provide much needed new premises for Khachodling’s amchi (traditional doctor) as well as general and specialist services for western medicine (pathology, xray and ultrasound as well as women’s, paediatric, eye and dental clinics).
www.khachodling.org