A group of Tibetan monks from the great Tashi Lhunpo monastery have embarked upon a tour of the UK.

Visiting one of their gatherings, BBC World Service reported how, in a quiet church hall in North London, the usual hymns and prayers have been replaced by the shrill horns and resonant chants of the Buddhist monks.

Speaking through an interpreter, they told The World Today programme, how they hoped to make the mystical world of Tibetan Buddhism more accessible to a western audience.

"Yesterday people were joining in with our meditations and some were even crying. When we finished they all crowded round with questions."

Diversity

The eight monks explained how their programme of dances and music aims to illustrate the full range of their culture.

Bold costumes create a fearsome spectacle

With golden cloaks covering their burgundy and orange robes, and their heads hidden under pointed black hats, they demonstrated how they twist and turn against each other in a simulation of battle.

Insisting that the prayers and chants in their performance were not toned down for the audience, their dance, they explained, told the story of the assassination of an ancient Tibetan King who had tried to outlaw Buddhism.

"What we do in the monastery is the same as what we are doing here," the monks asserted.

Their visit, they claimed, has no political agenda. But they reinforced how their spiritual leader is never far from their thoughts.

"The true Panchen Llama is the one nominated by the Dalai Llama," they said.

"At present he isn't with us, he's in Chinese custody. We are always praying for his well-being."

Sculpture

As well as their dance and musical skills, they were also keen to tell of the further talents which they will be showcasing during their tour.

The youngest in the group, the Venerable Jamyang Ngodup, explained how he is an expert in butter sculpture.

"It is an old tradition, used at festivals, especially for the New Year," he enthused.

"We make patterns to represent the sun, the moon, and all sorts of things. In the old days the sculpture would be as high as two houses!"

Refugees

The monastery from which the monks come, was established in 1447 by the first Dalai Lama.

It is traditionally the seat of the Panchen Lama, the second most important spiritual leader in the Buddhist hierarchy.

However, since 1972 it has been a monastery in exile, re-established in Southern India by a group of monks who managed to escape from their original home in Tibet.

"This is one of the main monasteries in Tibet," the Venerable Kelkhang Rinpoche told the programme.

"We are only refugees in India. One day we will be going home ... one day very soon."