With her edgy buzz cut and dark red flowing robes, former supermodel turned Lama, Aria Drolma naturally intrigues people wherever she goes.
Mainly because she appears to merge two very diverse worlds effortlessly. High fashion and a monastic way of living.
And she takes us back over four decades, when she moved from her sheltered home in Bangalore to bustling Mumbai…
From college contests to high fashion’s catwalks — Aria Drolma’s journey began in a world of glamour, style, and jet-setting luxury.
“It all started by winning a beauty contest in college when I was studying in Mumbai. I was a tall, gawky South Indian girl, up against these stunning and sophisticated contestants. I was egged on by my friends to participate, didn’t think that I stood a chance and was truly astonished when I actually won,” she begins.
But the contest had some top Bollywood celebrities like Amitabh Bachan and Ramanand Sagar present, and almost immediately, modelling assignments with top brands came her way. “I then joined Cathy Pacific, became a flight attendant, was groomed in a finishing school in Switzerland and outfitted in designer wear from top to toe. I loved my life. It was filled with travel and style. As these stories generally play out, I married a wealthy Indian businessman who was based in Hawaii.”
Well, it wasn’t such a fairy tale ending as the marriage didn’t last. Drolma had to reinvent herself, heal from the divorce and decide on a new place to move to. She relocated to New York, literally picking it randomly off the map and found herself outside Bergdorf Goodman. She applied for a position at the store and became a personal shopper to the who’s who of New York society.
“Part of my job was to ensure that their wardrobes were kept fashion forward, not just current, but ahead of every season. It was an education in itself, observing how the rich and famous lived, spending without limits and indulging every whim, while millions went without basic necessities. On the surface my life was back on track. I socialized with the crème de la crème of New York society. Flew to exotic places for parties. But there was a constant feeling of emptiness that no amount of champagne or designer trinkets could fill,” she shrugs.
She was at crossroads, questioning whether glamour alone could bring true fulfilment.
Losing her mother suddenly in the midst of it all, was one of those watershed moments in her life, that made her seriously evaluate her choices.
“My mother was a larger than life personality. She loved her clothes and jewellery. Yet all I had left of her was a small bowl of ashes. I literally froze for a minute while removing my makeup after another high society party, staring at my face in the mirror as the profound sense of emptiness that quietly resided within me began to overwhelm me. I needed something more substantial to focus on, beyond fashion trends and society parties. After extensive research I found a meditation center in New York based on Buddhist philosophy which taught me how to incorporate mindfulness and compassion into my life in a practical modern way.”
After visiting the monastery regularly on weekends, Drolma ultimately signed up for an immersive three year cloistered programme in 2011. “It was rigorous, starting and 3.30 am each day, with people from all walks of life, living together. I loved the feeling of community, the calming rituals and the meditation techniques that enabled me to harness my innate Buddhist nature. I now practice mindfulness through breathing, using it as an anchor to return to when my mind begins to wander. It’s about cultivating awareness in the ordinary, reconnecting with the here and now. It’s in these small moments that mindfulness reveals its true power, offering clarity, calm, and a sense of connection to the world around me,” she explains, adding, “the worlds of fashion and monasticism are not as opposed to each other as one would imagine. Both involve a deep awareness of presence, form and expression. In modeling, there is an emphasis on being fully in the moment, a skill I found invaluable in meditation and mindfulness practice. While these skills may seem disconnected on the surface, they both share a fundamental focus on intentionality, awareness and authenticity.”
From designer couture to monastic robes, Aria found purpose in simplicity, embracing mindfulness, compassion, and spiritual awakening.
And swapping couture for Monks’ robes was easy, she insists. “The robes symbolise simplicity, humility and renunciation. Their colours and styles reflect regional traditions, with saffron common in Theravāda and maroon in Tibetan Buddhism. They promote unity, equality and a focus on spiritual practice over materialism, synchronizing perfectly with my state of being.”
Sharing the Buddhist philosophy and way of life is her current goal. Preferably through holistic retreats that would enable you to activate your inner Buddha.
And they don’t have to be joyless, grim affairs either.
“I’d balance tradition with joy to create a meaningful and rejuvenating experience. Alongside daily meditation sessions, there would be mindful nature walks, tea ceremonies and creative activities like mandala drawing or calligraphy. Evenings could feature storytelling, chanting under the stars, or guided stargazing. To blend fun with mindfulness, there’d be silent cooking classes or yoga-dance sessions, encouraging participants to connect playfully with the present moment while embracing the retreat’s spiritual essence,” she concludes.
Words by Jackie Pinto
