Dalai Lama arrives to rousing reception by Tibetans
Dalai Lama reaches Tawang
Agencies
Posted: Sunday, Nov 08, 2009 at 1543 hrs IST
Updated: Sunday, Nov 08, 2009 at 1543 hrs IST
Tawang: Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, arrived in this picturesque town in Arunachal Pradesh on Sunday on a four-day visit which has drawn widespread interest in the wake of objections raised by China.
The 74-year-old Tibetan monk, who flew here from Guwahati by a helicopter, was received at the helipad by Arunachal Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu and other ministers. The 14th Dalai Lama, who will be staying in the 300-year- old Tawang Monastery, will hold religious discourses for the Buddhist community. The visit coincides with 50 years of his arrival in Tawang in 1959 after a failed uprising in Tibet against China.
Nestled among the snow-capped mountains and perched at a height of 10,000 feet, Tawang has been spruced up for the visit of the "living god" with colourful posters carrying his pictures and Tibetan and Indian flags flying everywhere. Buildings and houses have been given a fresh coat of paint and streets and localities cleaned to mark the occasion.
A security blanket has been thrown in the town, close to the borders with China and Myanmar, with the administration making all efforts to ensure a peaceful stay for the Tibetan leader whose visit has been resented to by China which has laid claim to the sensitive border state.
Objecting to the visit, China has said it "further exposes" the anti-China and "separatist nature" of the "Dalai clique". However, India has made it clear that the "honoured" guest was free to go anywhere in the country. The Dalai Lama has also hit out at China for objecting to the visit, saying it reflected a "negative" attitude, as his trip was not political.
The Tibetan monk had come to India through Tawang in 1959. He has also visited the town in 1983, 1997 and 2003. He paid two visits in 2003 and during one of them he had skipped Tawang to visit the western side of the state dominated by the followers of the Mahayana sect of the Buddhism.
The Nobel laureate is scheduled to hold discourses at the Tawang monastery from November 9 to 11, at nearby Dirang on November 12, in Bomdial on November 13 and in capital Itanagar on November 14. He is scheduled to inaugurate a museum, containing historic scriptures of the Buddhist religion, lead prayer sessions and unveil a library of the monastery school at the Centre for Buddhist Culture Studies.
The Tibetan temporal head will also inaugurate a modern hospital at Tawang...
Comments
» Dalai Lama reaches Tawang
Posted by Shekar on 2009-11-09 09:54:47.509102+05:30
Tawang is the Chinese name of an area which is known as Arunachal Pradesh in India. I, being an Indian, would like to know if the frequent references to "Tawang" is pointed to the monastery where the Dalai Lama is related to or does it refer to the state of Arunachal Pradesh. If it is the later, I would like the media to clarify if they have decided that the area has been ceded to china and is it in anticipation of some goodies they expect from China for the media will not do anything without getting some freebies.
» Long live for His Holiness the Dalai Lama:)
Posted by jamul on 2009-11-09 07:35:39.119637+05:30
His holiness the Dalai Lama has every right to visit Tawaing, I am so happy Indian stand by Tibet. Chinese are trying to take over all the power, i hope not from great nation of India. God bless the tawang people and India. Thank you.
» Dalai Lama visits tawang
Posted by Jai Somanath on 2009-11-09 06:12:08.673417+05:30
Sri Manmohan Singh and his government deserves our congratulations and best wishes for taking a firm stand against Communist Chinese objections and having Sri Dalai Lama visit Tawang,Arunachla Pradesh. Mr.Singh is quitely showing aggressive China, to day is not 1962 and he is not calling them 'bhais'. Instead he went to Visakhapatnam when china made noise about Arunachla Pradesh to launch nuclear submarine. China should decide whether it wants India to be its firend or adversary. It has to stop its aggression,building Karakoram highway in Indian territory under occupation by Pakistan or building a dam in its occupied Tibet to stop Brahmaputra or new cartographic aggression showing Arunachal Pradesh as its part and such it needs to give up.
» well done india,
Posted by t.chogyal on 2009-11-08 17:00:42.764022+05:30
I am great to know about H, H the Dalai Lama visit in Tawang monastery today. That is the great historical place in India, and Indian government must heavy reply for the china's interfering inside Indian Territory. And teach how to respect for the world Great ever religion leader. Long live His holiness!!! My every blood drop grace by you,
» India - A Super Power Country - Jai Hind
Posted by Bharti on 2009-11-08 13:42:49.47157+05:30
Arunachal Pradesh - The Great State of India - Jai Hind.
» WE SHOULD PRAY GOD FOR LONG LIFE FOR HIS HOLINESS DALAI LAMA AND GOOD HEALTH
Posted by n.r.i on 2009-11-08 12:51:08.669562+05:30
HIS HOLINESS DALAI LAMA IS TRUE HEAD OF TIBETIAN PEOPLE AND INDEPENDENT TIBET . HE SHOULD BE GIVEN ALL RESPECT AS IT WOULD BE GIVEN TO OBAMA HUSSAIN OF AMERICA . AMERICANS HAVE CHICKEN OUT TO HELP THIS PEACE LOVING SOUL TO GET FREEDOM FOR HIS PEOPLE WHO ARE KILLED IN TIBET BY CHINESE RULE ON DAILY BASIS . WHY WEST IS NOT STANDING UP AGAINST CHINA WHO IS BIGGEST THREAT THAN TERRORIST . THE NEXT THREAT WILL COME FROM CHINA AND PAKI. LAND . JUST WAIT AND WATCH .
