Elisabeth A. Benard - The Sakya Jetsunmas: The Hidden World of Tibetan Female Lamas

The Dolma Palace, Rajpur, India, December 2007

M Y NAME is Sonam Dolkar Pod Shol [Bonshod]. I was born in the earth tiger year (1938), in Gyantse, Tsang Province, Tibet. Dagmo Trinlei Paljor Zangmos father and my grandmother were brother and sister. From my mothers side, there were many children, five brothers and five sisters. Dagmo took three sisters, including me, to serve the Dolma Palace family. I am the oldest and came to the Dolma Palace when I was about 14 years old. My other two sisters are Tseyang, who recently moved to Pennsylvania, and Zangmo, who was a nun.

In 1956, when I was 18 years old, Dagmo arranged my marriage. As was the tradition, the families arrange the marriage and the future bride is unaware that her marriage is being planned. One day, I was told to dress nicely since we were going to some festivities. Only when I arrived at my future husbands home did I find out that this was my wedding day. I wasnt prepared for this. [It seems that she didnt like the arrangement.] I had two sons, Tsering Dorje in 1958 (Fig. 39), and one in 1959.

In 1959, I stayed behind after the family left for India. My sister Tseyang had already left and was no longer in the Dolma Palace, and [my sister] Zangmo, who was a nun, accompanied the family when they escaped.

Shortly after the family escaped, the Chinese came to the Dolma Palace and affixed Chinese seals on all the doors, rooms, and chests. Many attendants were taken to jail; there were ten main ones, including me. I had to take my newborn baby with me in jail; Tsering, my older son, was with his [paternal] grandparents. During the day, the prisoners had to make roads, and at night we were locked up in jail. The Chinese interrogated me many times. They asked me repeatedly, How did the family escape, who helped them, who was with them when they escaped? They wanted all the details of the escape. Also they wanted to know about all the belongingswhat was in the sealed chests, were there other chests, where are the jewels, did I know of other treasures? They asked these questions repeatedly.

Fig. 39. Aja Dolkar and her son Tsering Dorje at the Dolma Palace, Rajpur, India, 2002.

After six months I was released, but then I was again detained. The Chinese demanded a new investigation that lasted another six months. They attempted to make me into a cruel landlord who beat the serfs. Because I was blameless, I was finally released. During these two years of being in and out of jail, working so hard and receiving such scant food, my baby died in jail.

After my release in 1962, when I was 24 years old, I felt free and did not return to my husband. Though many Chinese security guards surrounded the Dolma Palace, I secretly entered it. Surreptitiously I broke the seals on some of the chests and sent the contents to some of the familys private attendants. Though I would be executed if the guards found me, I had strong conviction that I would be protected since I was helping the family. With this faith, I took those risks. When I prepared my escape, I broke the seal of a chest that contained ritual implementssome silver mandalas, bells, and dorjes that the family did not have in India. The family is still using them today, so I am very pleased.

In the Sakya area, the Chinese guards allowed the people to collect firewood during the day. With the ritual instruments hidden in my chuba, I pretended to go to collect firewood. The family had arranged for an attendant to meet me at a secret place and he would take me to India. We walked at night and rested during the day since the Chinese were looking for escaping Tibetans. After crossing the plains and a few mountains that were not too high and without snow, we arrived at the Sikkimese border. It took five days. Once in Sikkim, we encountered more difficult terrain and snow mountains, but we were already in free territory.

Finally I was reunited with the family at Pandatsangs home in Darjeeling. When I was in prison, I thought that I might die and never see the family again. When I was finally reunited with them, I hoped that it was not a dream. With tears of happiness, I recall this day as one of the most memorable days of my life.

The family was overjoyed. They inquired about my journey, my difficulties, and were so glad that this was all behind me now. We were united again. I decided to stay in Darjeeling with other families who came from the Sakya area. I worked with this community for a few years. I finally rejoined the family in Puruwala in 1969.

I liked one of the familys main attendants, Tsepon Nyandak, and we lived as husband and wife. Unfortunately, two years after H.H. Sakya Trizin established Puruwala, Tsepon Nyandak, Thutop Tulku, and the driver were killed in a car accident. The mainstay for many Tibetan refugees was to make rugs. They were returning from Delhi after purchasing wool to weave carpets.

Authors Note: After Aja Dolkar had sketched her life story, I asked whether her great-aunt Dagmo Trinlei Paljor (Chapter 7) had been like a mother to her. This is what I learned:

Aja Dolkar replied, in her humble manner, that she couldnt compare herself to Dagmo Trinlei Paljors niece and nephew H.E. Jetsun Kushok and H.H. Sakya Trizin (whom Dagmo had raised). She herself was closely related to Dagmo, and Dagmo did take care of her as her child. As she grew up, Dagmo trusted her very much.

Dagmo had many abilities, she said. In Tibet, Aja Dolkar saw that Dagmo had much paperwork. Since Aja is not literate, she did not know what the papers contained. The Dolma Phodrang had a special doctor for H.H. Sakya Trizin from whom Dagmo learned how to make medicine. Both in Tibet and in India, Dagmo gave away medicine that she made to people who needed it.

Dagmo stitched very well. She enjoyed making golden ornamental decorations for ritual instruments, such as the ritual vase (bumpa). Also she did beadwork. The Sakya Centre still uses one of the beaded mandalas that Dagmo made. She liked to cook. She was famous for making beautifully designed Tibetan cookies (kapse) for Losar; she made all the kapses when they were in India, and she learned how to make mango jam in India. She chatted with all kinds of people and was a good storyteller. At Losar and other holidays, she played cards with the attendants; everyone enjoyed themselves.

Aja Dolkar said: Even in the early days in India, when the Dolma Phodrang did not have very much, we were all happy. Much of this was due to Dagmo. She had a noble presence. Her decisions were clear, and whatever decision she undertook, she followed through completely.

I asked Aja-la what Dagmo Trinlei Paljors main influence on her had been. This is an American kind of question, so she was surprised by it.

She replied, Dagmo managed to get the family safe to India, managed to get H.H. Sakya Trizin and Jetsunma all the proper and essential teachings; this made them great masters. She raised everyone and handled everything single-handed. She always thought what she could contribute to the Sakya community, not thinking about her personal interests. Aja Dolkar said that she stayed with the Sakya family because of Dagmo.

I also asked Aja Dolkar about Tashi Palrab, Dagmos younger brother, who was an army general and a bodyguard of the H. H. the Dalai Lama during his escape.