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Journey to Thibet The following day M. Notovitch visited the famous Himis monastery, about twenty miles from Leh, situated on a high rock in the midst of the valley, overlooking the river Indus. Himis is one of the principal monasteries of the country and contains a vast library of sacred works.
The entrance door is about six feet high, with steps leading up to it. The large massive doors painted with bright colours open into a court paved with pebbles. Inside is the principal temple containing a large statue of Buddha and other smaller statues. On the left is a veranda with an immense prayer-wheel on it; on the right there is a row of rooms for monks, all adorned with sacred paintings and small-prayer wheels
The windows of the upper story, looking outward, have no panes of glass, but are closed by black curtains, upon which are sewn figures of a Latin cross, formed of white strips of cloth. The cross, in different forms has been recognized as a mystic symbol by all ancient nations.
At the moment of his arrival M. Notovitch found all the Lamas of the convent, with their Lama-in-chief, formed in a circle around the great prayer-wheel. Underneath the veranda several musicians held drums and trumpets. The whole company was anxiously in silence the commencement of a great religious mystery which was about to be presented. It is called a religious drama.
On certain days of the year religious dramas are performed by the Lamas, who call them Tambin Shi, 'the bliss of instruction'. Sometimes these dramas are performed by them in honour of distinguished visitors to their convent. Masked actors are introduced, who represent fantastically the various states of existence-spirits, men, animals, etc. This festival, with its singing, music and dancing, lasted for several hours. At the end, the Lama-in-chief invited the visitor to accompany him to the principal terrace, where they drank the chang of the festival (a kind of tasteless beer).
