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We well knew that at times such as these, the guests would be well
filled and well satisfied, but the poor hosts would be empty. There
would be no time for us to eat later.
With much clattering of instruments, the monk-musicians
arrived and were shown into the gardens. They were laden with
trumpets, clarinets, gongs, and drums. Their cymbals were hung
round their necks. Into the gardens they went, with much chatter,
and called for beer to get them into the right mood for good
playing. For the next half-hour there were horrible honks, and
strident bleats from the trumpets as the monks prepared their
instruments.
Uproar broke out in the courtyard as the first of the guests were
sighted, riding in an armed cavalcade of men with fluttering
pennants. The entrance gates were flung open, and two columns
of our servants lined each side to give welcome to the arrivals. The
steward was on hand with his two assistants who carried an assort-
ment of the silk scarves which are used in Tibet as a form of
salutation. There are eight qualities of scarves, and the correct one
must be presented or offense may be implied! The Dalai Lama
gives, and receives, only the first grade. We call these scarves
khata , and the method of presentation is this: the donor if of
equal rank, stands well back with the arms fully extended. The
recipient also stands well back with arms extended. The donor
makes a short bow and places the scarf across the wrists of the
recipient, who bows, takes the scarf from the wrists, turns it over
in approval, and hands it to a servant. In the case of a donor
giving a scarf to a person of much higher rank, he or she kneels
with tongue extended (a Tibetan greeting similar to lifting the hat)
and places the khata at the feet of the recipient. The recipient in
such cases places his scarf across the neck of the donor. In Tibet,
gifts must always be accompanied by the appropriate khata, as
must letters of congratulation. The Government used yellow
scarves in place of the normal white. The Dalai Lama, if he desired
to show the very highest honour to a person, would place a khata
about a person's neck and would tie a red silk thread with a triple
knot into the khata. If at the same time he showed his hands palm
up one was indeed honoured. We Tibetans are of the firm belief
that one's whole history is written on the palm of the hand, and
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the Dalai Lama, showing his hands thus, would prove the friend-
liest intentions towards one. In later years I had this honour twice.
Our steward stood at the entrance, with an assistant on each
side. He would bow to new arrivals, accept their khata, and pass it
on to the assistant on the left. At the same time the assistant on his
right would hand him the correct grade of scarf with which to
return the salutation. This he would take and place across the
wrists, or over the neck (according to rank), of the guest. All these
scarves were used and reused.
The steward and his assistants were becoming busy. Guests
were arriving in large numbers. From neighboring estates, from
Lhasa city, and from outlying districts, they all came clattering
along the Lingkhor road, to turn into our private drive in the
shadow of the Potala. Ladies who had ridden a long distance
wore a leather face-mask to protect the skin and complexion from
the grit-laden wind. Frequently a crude resemblance of the wearer's
features would be painted on the mask. Arrived at her destination,
the lady would doff her mask as well as her yak-hide cloak. I was
always fascinated by the features painted on the masks, the uglier
or older the woman, the more beautiful and younger would be her
mask-features!
In the house there was great activity. More and more seat-
cushions were brought from the storerooms. We do not use chairs
in Tibet, but sit cross-legged on cushions which are about two and
a half feet square and about nine inches thick. The same cushions
are used for sleeping upon, but then several are put together. To
us they are far more comfortable than chairs or high beds.
Arriving guests were given buttered tea and led to a large room
which had been converted into a refectory. Here they were able
to choose refreshments to sustain them until the real party started.
About forty women of the leading families had arrived, together
with their women attendants. Some of the ladies were being enter-
tained by mother, while others wandered around the house, in-
specting the furnishings, and guessing their value. The place
seemed to be overrun with women of all shapes, sizes, and ages.
They appeared from the most unusual places, and did not hesitate
one moment to ask passing servants what this cost, or what that
was worth. They behaved, in short, like women the world over.
Sister Yaso was parading around in very new clothes, with her
hair done in what she regarded as the latest style, but which to me
seemed terrible; but I was always biased when it came to women.
Certain it was that on this day they seemed to get in the way.
There was another set of women to complicate matters: the
high-class woman in Tibet was expected to have huge stores of
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clothing and ample jewels. These she had to display, and as this
would have entailed much changing and dressing, special girls
chung girls were employed to act as mannequins. They
paraded around in mother s clothes, sat and drank innumerable
cups of butter-tea, and then went and changed into different
clothing and jewelry. They mixed with the guests and became,
to all intents and purposes, mother's assistant hostesses. Through-
out the day these women would change their attire perhaps five or
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