[Buddha-l] Nepalis in NYC

[Dan Lusthaus]

Curious about how Buddhists from Asia live in the States? Here is a sordid 
story from the NY Times that takes its time laying out background. Aside 
from making Guru Gorakhnath about 300 years or so earlier than he was, it 
includes interesting touches.

Some examples:

Mr. Sherpa, also known as licensed taxi driver No. 5301202, had succeeded in 
attaining his asylum visa, and recently married a cheerful Nepali woman here 
who encouraged his Buddhist faith. He adored playing with their baby 
daughter, and spent evenings on the soccer field with friends.

Mr. Sherpa grew up in the Sindhupalchok District, in the Bagmati Zone, not 
far from Katmandu. He arrived in New York in 2001 and had been driving cabs 
pretty much since. He and his wife and baby live with his sister-in-law and 
nephew, paying $1,500 a month for a two-bedroom apartment on 62nd Street 
furnished with a small sofa and two junior mattresses on the floor covered 
with faux tiger-skin quilts; idealized illustrations of the Manhattan 
skyline hang on the walls.

MR. SHERPA received Mr. Chhantyal's usual wake-up call at 4 a.m. on Sept. 
12. He said his morning prayers before the Buddhist shrine he had built 
above the TV set, then grabbed the bag with his soccer gear, for after his 
shift.

Both men, at different times, joined the crowded classes run by AJ Yellow 
Taxi Tutors in a basement under a Thai restaurant, opposite the Himalayan 
Yak. A framed photograph of the Dalai Lama hangs next to a sign that reads 
"Cell Phone Rings: $5 Fine"


Warning. The story has also has violent and disturbing content.

Dan