Vaccination drive picking up, monasteries to open: Sangay

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, March 12

Tibetan monasteries and temples in Dharamsala that have been lying closed since March last year due to Covid pandemic would be opened as the vaccination campaign has picked up in India. The president of Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) Lobsang Sangay said this while talking to The Tribune here today.

Sangay said that tourists coming to Dharamsala have been asking when the Tibetan monasteries and temples would be opened. “There was demand from tourists to open the monasteries and temple. We expect to open the temples and monasteries in Dharamsala for tourists as the vaccination campaign picks up in India”, he said.

The Tibetan monasteries and temples were major tourist attraction in Dharamsala. However, they have been lying closed since March last year after the lockdown was announced in the country.

Sangay said that Indians in general have realized the importance of an independent Tibet after 20 soldiers of Indian Army were killed by Chinese in Galwan valley. When Tibet was an independent state just 75 soldiers used to guard the 2,500-mile international border between India and China. However, now China has posted 30,000 soldiers on India border just in Galwan valley.

Lakhs of Indian and Chinese soldiers are posted along the borders of Tibet and there are occasional clashes between two forces. In case Tibet was a buffer state India would have lasting peace at its borders, he said. Sangay, whose term as president of CTA will end in May this year, remembered his school days. “As school children we used to wait for one ‘ladoo’ that we used to get on Indian Independence Day celebrations. We came and settled in Himachal Pradesh that was known as Dev Bhoomi. We came from one Dev Bhoomi, Lhasa to another Dev Bhoomi in Himachal”, he said.

Sangay expressed the hope that Tibetans in exile would once again return to their home in Tibet through the same mountain passes in Himalayas through which they had come out in exile. “When that happens we would invite you to Lhasa and become your gracious hosts there,” he said.

Sangay considered the passage of US policy on Tibet 2020 as one of the major achievements of his stint as president of CTA. He is also credited with efforts to bridge chasm between the Indian community and Tibetans over the issue Tibet and initiating various welfare measures for Tibetan community in exile. When asked if he would remain active in Tibetan politics after completion of his stint, he said, “In case you want me to be active I will be.”

As per the constitution of Tibetan government in exile any person can have just two stints as president of CTA. Sangay would be completing his two consecutive stints as president of CTA in May this year.