Nehru Centre

Based in South Arlington Street, in the heart of the swanky Mayfair area of West London, the Nehru Centre is part of the Indian High Commission. It is holding part of the Himalaya Festival, including the art works which are predominantly contemporary paintings and just a few good quality photos, several of which aren´t labelled and almost half of them taken in Kathmandu only.

The highlight of the evening visit however is the screening of One Crazy Ride, a documentary by Guarav Jani. Jani and a few motorbike enthusiasts make a road-trip around Arunachal Pradesh, a remote Indian province that borders China. Roads are rough at best and sometimes non-existent.

A trained film-maker, Jani single-handedly not only captures the beauty of the region, but introduces the audience to local tribes-people, his fellow riders (in the full range of emotions that they show)and the "craziness" of undertaking such harsh road-trips. Jani is present at the showing and takes questions from the audience at the end of the screening. Both myself and my companion Airways have seriously itchy feet afterwards.

This is Jani´s 2nd documentary, and there is a screening of his first film, Riding Solo To The Top Of The World which tracks his journey through Ladakh, (my most favourite region in India) at the Rich Mix at 7.15pm on Friday.

A Political Pawn?

His Holiness Dalai Lama is currently visiting Tawang, the Indo-Chinese border town in the state of Arunachal Pradesh. Tawang was birthplace of the 6th Dalai Lama.

The Chinese government are furious, not least as the border has been hotly disputed since borders were drawn up in 1914 after The Great 13th Dalai Lama ceded the area to the British. Indeed, an incursion by the Chinese in 1962 almost led to an out-and-out war between the two most populated countries on the planet.

Dalai Lama holds the town close to his heart, for it marked the end of his harrowing escape from Lhasa and into safety more than 50 years ago. He is giving both teachings and blessings this week. According to his website, HHDL asked the community to work for removing evils like superstition, bring "positive change" in society and become Buddhists of the 21st Century.

Security continues to be a major issue, both for Dalai Lama and this sensitive Indian border region. BBC World today asked the question whether the Indian government were using the Dalai Lama´s visit as part of some mind-game with China? Probably. The Tibetan community will never forget the kindness shown by the Indian government for welcoming Tibetan refugees against the explicit requests of China. Respect! Not surprisingly, the PRC use HH Dalai Lama´s visit as further evidence of separatism.

HHDL will be back in The Ganj to confer the Yamantaka Initiation (jigje kawang) at the request of Russian devotees at the Main Tibetan Temple. On November 24 afternoon will be the preliminary initiation along with teachings on Atisha's Lamp of the Path To Enlightenment (jangchup lamdron) and on November 25 will be the actual initiation. No teachings are scheduled for both the mornings. He will not be giving any further teachings in The Ganj until 28th February for which i definitely won´t be around for. As yet these are the only scheduled teachings in the village. Sensibly HHDL will spend much of December in Australasia.

Whilst no doubt, “outsiders” will be back in the village for 24th November, with winter now firmly in place, The Ganj has been beautifully quiet over the last few days, with just a handful of cold-looking travellists huddling in the coffee shops.