Himachal Diaries - My first experience of Buddhism, Tibetan culture & more:)
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Enlightened mind and Ignited heart!
We have decided not to paraglide
today and keep it for tomorrow- Sunday! Work is priority :)
Today has been a very interesting
day! We met the music teacher and the secretary to the principal at the TCV school and discussed about the political issues in Tibet. I had an idea about the political issues in Tibet and why Tibetans live in exile from what I had read on various websites, but to hear it
from people who experience it and live this situation each day shook me up!
Despite of all that and the
oppression they face, the Tibetans believe in the Buddhist Non-Violence ways.
This is something I admire about them and Buddhism.
Meeting the teachers and staff at TCV school
Meeting the teachers and staff at TCV school
Meeting the teachers and staff at TCV school
The Tibetan Flag
Wedding photograph of a woman from Khampa - shared by TCV school
They are very thankful to India and appreciate the support India has extended. We asked them if they missed being in Tibet and they said that they don't. They feel at home here. This makes me so proud of India and its beautiful people who accept people whole heartedly. Here is a music video by TIPA thanking India. Its in Tibetan language but it has subtitles. The emotions are well reflected through their gestures!
They shared with us a CD of an event
conducted at their school last year wherein they got students who had recently
come from Tibet to make Tibetan costumes so that they can share with everyone here who haven't been to Tibet and keep the traditions and culture alive.
Not just that, Tibetans here have set up various
organizations such as TIPA, Norbulingka, etc who work towards preserving and
promoting their art, culture and traditions. It is a commendable effort as this
is being passed from one generation to the other since 1959 and not only the
older generation who fled Tibet work towards preserving the culture of Tibet,
the younger generation too whole heartedly participates and works towards preserving it.
I always had this question on my
mind why I was documenting Tibetan costumes when there was so much to document
in Indian crafts! I guess I got my answer here. I am probably been sent here
to do my bit in preserving not just the traditional costumes but an entire rich & beautiful culture & their identity as Tibetans :)
On a broader and political note, I
am not sure what/how I can do to support them but now that it has ignited a
tiny little flame in my heart, I am going to figure out what I can do.
A school teacher in traditional Chupa
A model of the Thonmi Sambhota who created the Tibetan Alphabet. He was sent to India to study the art of writing and upon his return he introduced the Tibetan Alphabet
Model of the Patola Palace - the chief residence of the Dalai Lama until the 14th Dalai Lama fled to India in 1959 during the Tibet uprising. The model is made by the students
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