What's the first thing that comes to your mind when I say the word "mummy"? The pyramids of Egypt? Blockbuster franchise based on the same concept? Or your lovable, affectionate, adorable mom? If it's the first and the second, you are on the verge of getting a real treat. Today I present to you India's special mummy! Yes, you read it right. We have a mummy here in the land of diversity. Who would have thought that people would spend a lot of money to go to Egypt and see it, is here in our country. It may sound amazing, but it is absolutely real. Even more interesting is the fact that it is a 500-year-old mummy, which was discovered only 43 years ago. Without further ado, let us unveil the discovery and creation of an invaluable Indian artifact, whose mere presence is a feather added to the cover of India's multifaceted history.
Gue is a small village in the Spiti Valley of Himachal Pradesh, almost on the Indo-Chinese border. A peaceful village, happily located in the foothills of the beautiful Himalayas, controlled by the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, it is a hard-to-reach place. A rickety 12-hour trek along one of the most treacherous routes in the Kinnaur chain is the only way to visit this mysterious little town. And this is where India's very special mummy is. Some of the big cities are not very touristy. Nowhere is far, far, magical. But a simple, modest and quiet village houses the country's only mummy.
A picture of Lama Tenzin kept in a glass cage at the temple.
The mummy is said to be a sangha Tenzin, a Buddhist monk who embalmed himself about 500 years ago. Yes, he has already embalmed himself. This mummification process, which many do not know, is the natural process of mummification. The procedure begins with a slow technique of starvation that eventually leads to you stop consuming barley, rice and beans, which add fat to the body. Also, in preparation for death, the monk passes candles over his skin and dries them. The monk dies of starvation in a sitting position. The fat rots after death, and by removing the fat from the body, the monk can be better preserved. After his death, he was placed in an underground room for three years, to continue drying before being treated with candles again. The monk becomes a statue in prayer. Fewer than thirty of these monks are found worldwide, and most of them are on Japan's main island, Honshu.
Another such monk that was embalmed by the natural process, was found in Mongolia.
Now the question that naturally follows that is, why exactly does the sangha embalm itself? The answer is equally surprising. Local traditions claim that he required his followers to mummify him during a scorpion's invasion of Medina. The city is located about 30 miles from the Monastery of Tabu, which dates back to AD 996. The body was kept in a position where the monk could continue meditating, using a restraint device around the neck. It is believed that when Sangha Tenzen's soul finally left his body, a rainbow appeared across the sky and the village was forever rid of the scorpions.
A distant photo takes the background of the temple where Tenzin Lama is located.
In 1975 an earthquake in northern India opened an ancient cemetery containing the mummified body of the monk Sangha Tenzin. In 2004, local police excavated the grave and removed the mummy. Upon discovery, it was very surprising to find the mummy in absolutely good condition, intact skin and hair crop on its head. The mummy was eventually placed in a temple, which became a local attraction for curious tourists.
In conclusion, the Sangha Tenzin mummy is one of the rarest and priceless artifacts in the possession of India. Yes, we have millions of temples, thousands of castles, and hundreds of caves. But a normal mummy? We only have one of that. Surprisingly, it is the lack of knowledge among the general public. Even travel enthusiasts are unaware of this historical beauty. Then it becomes our responsibility alone, to put the word there to do everything in power, to make this temple one hell of a tourist spot as obligated citizens, we owe to Sangha Tenzin. Because he did not sacrifice himself in vain. He gave our country an invaluable gift. His story is waiting to be told. The story of sacrifice. A brave story. The story of India's only mummy.
