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Dalai Lama visits Sikkim after 13 Years
For the people of Sikkim who are grappling with post-traumatic stress, his presence and blessings brought in a comfort which could be mostly felt rather than described in words
Dalai Lama Arrives in Gangtok, Sikkim / Tenzin Choejor
The State Capital of Sikkim was cheerful and jubilant, with thousands of devotees dressed in their ceremonious traditional attires, monks belonging to different monasteries playing cymbals, pipes, flutes and drums, locals offering traditional ‘khadas’(a sacred shawl), flowers and incense sticks to mark their reverence, and government officials of varying ranks, gearing up to receive the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, who was on a three - day visit to Sikkim and West Bengal from December 11 to 14, 2023.
This ecclesiastical visit, upon the invitation of Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang, has immense cultural and spiritual significance to the Sikkimese and Tibetan devotees. Dalai Lama was received with ‘Chema Changpu’ - a traditional Tibetan welcome and ‘Sherbang’, a Buddhist traditional ritual dance and prayer.
He blessed and imparted teachings on Gyalsey Thokme Sangpo’s 37 practices of Bodhisattva (Laklen Sodunma) at Paljor stadium situated about 50 km from India - China border at Nathula to the 30,000 people gathered there to get a glimpse of their octogenarian spiritual leader visiting them after 13 years. He also conducted the ceremony of the generation of Bodhichitta (semkye).
Tenzin Choejor / members of Tibetan community welcoming the Dalai LamaThe visit was originally scheduled in October, but the recent horrors of flash flood in Sikkim had postponed it. During his stay, the spiritual leader led a solemn prayer invoking Avalokiteshwara expressing compassion for the lost lives in the recent tragedy.
For the people of Sikkim who are grappling with post-traumatic stress, his presence and blessings brought a comfort that could be felt more than could be described in words. The positive vibes could be felt through the prayer flags, smiles, cheer, music and dance that was graciously extended throughout the visit.
All Dalai Lamas are believed to be the incarnations of Avalokteshwara or Chenrezig, the Bodhisattvas of compassion and the patron saint of Tibet. In the wake of Lhasa uprising, the 14th Dalai Lama was forced into exile and sought political asylum and refugee in India. He has often expressed that Sikkim has always remained dear to him and has fond recollections of the Himalayan State.
He is settled and officiated from Dharamshala, mentoring to thousands of ‘homeless’ and ‘uprooted’ Tibetans in India. He was bestowed with the coveted Nobel Prize in 1989 for advocating peaceful solutions based upon tolerance and mutual respect in order to preserve the historical and cultural heritage of his people. Earlier on December 20, 2010, Dalai Lama visited Sikkim to attend a conference on science and spirituality hosted by the Namgyal Institute of Tibetology.
Tenzin Choejor / Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang presenting Dalai Lama, with an orchid the state flower of Sikkim
Sikkim, a multicultural and diverse state, is home to a multitude of tribes and settlers. The main communities being Lepcha, Bhutia and Nepalese. The Bhutia’s migrated from Tibet after 15th century and mainly settled in the northern region of Sikkim. They constitute around 16% of the state population. Cultural and historic roots reflects the deep bond between Tibetans and Sikkimese. About 28 percent of Sikkim population is Buddhist, most of them being Mahayana practitioners.
Apart from this, he also attended the State banquet hosted at Samman Bhawan on December 13, 2023 before heading to Salugura, West Bengal where he was scheduled for a public lecture at Sed-Gyued Monastery, where Tashi Shop and Snow Lion dancers welcomed him at the gate.
“As human beings, we all need love and affection, so its important that we help one another. Secular ethics is an ethical code that reflects human values free from the trappings of religion, which I speak of admiringly wherever I go. What is crucial to understand is that whether or not we believe in religion, we all need a warm heart,” he said.
Dr. Archana Arul is Professor of English at SRM University, Sikkim
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