Travel to Bhutan, Nepal, India
For the next few years Karmapa engaged himself in his study and meditations, while the monastery was extensively rebuilt.
In the male wood monkey year (1944) he made pilgrimage to Trag and Samye monasteries and then visited the Drowolung monastery in South Tibet, a seat of Marpa the Translator, where he had marvellous visions of Marpa, Jetsun Milarepa and Je Gampopa. He received an invitation from His Royal Highness Jigme Wangchuk, King of Bhutan, asking him to visit his country. In the second month of the male wood monkey year (1944) Karmapa travelled there and visited the Bumthang district of the North, where be was most warmly welcomed by the King. At his request the Black Hat ceremony was performed and on this occasion the King saw Karmapa in many different miraculous forms.
Karmapa visited the Champa and Kuje temples in Bumthang, Northern Bhutan, where he offered a ceremonial silk scarf to the image of Guru Padmasambhava in the Kuje shrine, The silk scarf flew high up into the air and stuck itself onto the forehead of the large statue. From Bhutan Karmapa returned to Tsurphu monastery.
Situ Tulku travelled from Khams to Tsurphu, meeting Karmapa there on the eleventh day of the ninth month of the female wood bird year (1945). At the age twenty-three Karmapa received the derailed final ordination, together with the initiations and explanations of the higher Kargyudpa teachings. On the twenty-second day of the fourth month of the female fire pig year (1947), he left for Teod in Western Tibet and Situ Tulku returned to his monastery in Khams.
Karmapa visited several Kargyudpa monasteries and travelled on pilgrimage to Nepal. There he was highly honoured by the Royal family and performed the Black Hat ceremony. He visited all the main pilgrimage-places in Nepal and bestowed his blessings upon thousands. For this journey the King of Bhutan graciously delegated four high government officials to act as guides and interpreters.
From Nepal Karmapa travelled to lndia via Lumbini the birth-place of Lord Buddha and on to Sarnath and Bodh Gaya, where he performed prostrations and prayers; there were many fine ceremonies. The pilgrimage was continued to Ajanta, Ellora and Kushinagara, the place of Lord Buddha’s final passing. On the thirtieth day of the first month of the male earth rat year (1948) Karmapa returned to India and travelled to Rewalsar, in the North West, where be spent several days and performed a special rite of Guru Padmasambhava. Thousands came to receive his blessings and the local people remarked that many white snakes appeared from a stone wall and that there were most unusual move-ments on the surface of the lake.
The party travelled on due North, via Kunu and Purang, to the Holy mountain of Kailash. Karmapa made three complete circumambulations of this mountain, taking three days for each one, and also went all around the Holy lake of Manasarovar. He visited all the places of pilgrimage in the region. Then he travelled right across Tibet, via the Mendong Kargyudpa monastery, and reached Tsurphu on the seventeenth day of the eleventh month of the male earth rat year (1948).
 Mount Kailash |
 Enlightenment Stupa at Bodghaya, India |