Pilgrims and beggars meet in the early morning in front of the Teaching tent

I am sitting at one of the busiest streets in Amaravati about 100 metres away from the Teaching tent that holds the temple where the Dalai Lama gives the Kalachakra empowerment.

Throngs of passers-by stride towards the Teaching ground, their many feet kicking up clouds of dust. Right now it looks like a purple stream for they are mostly Tibetan monks in their traditional robes.