The land up far north in the Himalayas,

has always been cold and barren.

Few people have lived here from the beginning.

Thus, a favourite place for meditators

and home to numerous monasteries.

Not much has changed here in centuries.

The weather has remained the same — cold.

The air has remained the same — thin.

The vegetation has remained the same — sparse.

The peaks have remained the same — impregnable.

Although more visitors come now in summers,

the number of people living here has remained the same.

The number of sheep and yaks has remained the same.

The number of meditators has remained the same.

The number of monasteries has remained the same.

What has increased, is the army.

Their cavalcades in green, far outnumber

the walking lamas in the red.

The marching sound of the soldier’s boots

effortlessly strangulates the hum of the ancient chants.

The war cry of the army drills

routinely crushes the mantra ‘Om Mani Padme Hum’.

And the national flag sits atop the sacred peaks

and flaunts its muscles, looking down

at the peace spreading prayer flags.