People upbeat over spiritual leader’s tour
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 20: Spiritual leader Dalai Lama is likely to visit Union Territory of Ladakh between July and August this year. Dates and schedule of the visit are being worked out by the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) in coordination with Leh Buddhist Association (LBA).
“The visit is final, His Holiness Dalai Lama will visit Ladakh between July and August this year. However, the arrival date, days of stay in the Union Territory and places Dalai Lama will visit are being finalized,” sources said.
This would be among the first public visit of Dalai Lama, after the Covid-19 pandemic hit the country in January 2020. During pandemic, he remained indoors at his residence in Dharamshalla in Himachal Pradesh.
Sources said the Tibetan leader was approached for visit to Ladakh by former Lok Sabha member from Ladakh and LBA president Thupstan Chhewang and Thiksay Rinpoche of Thiksay Monastery. They met the spiritual leader at his residence in Dharamshalla.
“The Tibetan leader has accepted the request to visit Ladakh,” sources said.
This will be first visit of Dalai Lama to Ladakh after it became the Union Territory on being separated from erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019.
There is great enthusiasm among Buddhists of Ladakh on the visit of Dalai Lama to the Union Territory.
“His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama grants audience to Thiksay Rinpoche and former Parliamentarian Thupstan Chhewang at his residence. At the meeting, His Holiness agrees to visit Ladakh between July and August,” a website reported.
Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Leh Independent Councillor from Chushul Konchok Stanzin tweeted: “The good news for Ladakh is that His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama agrees to visit Ladakh in July. Thank you, His Holiness”.
“Followers in Ladakh will be delighted,” said Chhewang.
Sources said the Leh Buddhist Association will start making arrangements for the visit of Dalai Lama shortly. The Union Territory Administration of Ladakh and LAHDC Leh will also finalize arrangements for the visit once dates are formally announced.
The visit is scheduled at a time when India and China are engaged in an active faceoff along the Line of Actual Control in Eastern Ladakh. The Chinese have often objected to his visits to Ladakh, where the Tibetan leader even celebrated his 83rd birthday on July 6 in 2018.
“After spending most of the time at his residence since the global COVID-19 outbreak, His Holiness the Dalai Lama agrees to visit and bless devotees in Ladakh between July and August,” the CTA informed. Until now, the Dalai Lama has only granted virtual and in-person audiences from his residence in Dharamshalla. Sikyong Penpa Tsering received the delegation at CTA following their meeting with the Dalai Lama.
During his visit to Ladakh in 2018, Dalai Lama had said, “The people in Tibet mention my name on their dying breaths, so, clearly, the majority of them put their trust in me. The cause of the Tibetan people is a just and worthy cause. As well as a responsibility towards the people of the Land of Snow, I feel bound to work to preserve the culture and language of Tibet.”
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