‘Just a small glance is enough,’ onlooker says
‘Free Tibet’ cyclists stage peaceful march
By DEBRA BLACK
About 1,000 supporters of the Dalai Lama welcomed him outside Toronto’s Fairmont Royal York hotel yesterday, waving Tibetan flags, ceremonial scarves, banners, burning incense, applauding and crying out in unison: “Dalai Lama, Dalai Lama.”
As the Dalai Lama, dressed in the traditional burgundy robes of a Buddhist monk, got out of his black limousine and walked into the middle of Front St. and bowed to his supporters, many in the crowd were overwhelmed by their emotions.
Tsering Dakpa, a Scarborough resident, burst into tears. “I’m so happy,” she said, bowing and watching the Dalai Lama’s every move. “For me, he’s everything. He’s a spiritual leader. He’s love. He’s compassion.”
A group of 11 dancers in multi-coloured traditional attire from the Tibetan community, including two men dressed in yak costumes, performed a tashi shoelpa, a good luck dance for the Dalai Lama.
Three young girls welcomed him with a traditional offering of wheat, barley and wine.
“For us, just seeing the Dalai Lama is a blessing,” said Tsering Luding, who stood patiently outside the Royal York along with his wife, Sonam Dolker. The couple’s 1-month-old son was cradled in Dolker’s arms and their 8-year-old son, Ngawang Luding, waved incense. They had come so their newborn would be blessed. “It was worth every second,” Luding said.
Many said they were struck by the Dalai Lama’s sense of contentment, his blissful smile, the aura of peace and the joy that radiates from him. “When I see him I feel something different, I feel love and peace,” said Dechen Wangmo, 28, who moved to Canada from Nepal four years ago.
“For me, he’s the spiritual leader and a political leader,” said Dorjee Namgyal, 26, who was born in India and moved to Canada three years ago. “He’s like a parent to us. He speaks the truth and gives us a way for non-violence.”
“Just a small glance is enough for us,” said Tsering Yangchen, a 29 year old who was in the crowd with her 13-month-old daughter, Tenzin. “We feel fortunate and peaceful just to see him.”
“I’m very happy,” said Thinley Sangpo, dressed in traditional Tibetan garb. “It was beautiful. I’m very happy today. I’m a very lucky guy.”
The Dalai Lama, the exiled spiritual leader of the Tibetan people, is in Toronto for a 12-day visit that focuses on the Kalachakra initiation or Buddhist teachings that are given to large crowds.
It begins at the National Trade Centre today at 7 a.m. and continues until May 5. An estimated 4,500 people have signed up.
Later today, the Dalai Lama will give a public talk on “The Power of Compassion” and answer questions at SkyDome. More than 22,000 tickets have been sold to the event. During his visit to Toronto, the Dalai Lama will also receive an honorary degree from the University of Toronto and meet formally with the Tibetan community.
While most in the crowd yesterday talked about the Dalai Lama’s spiritual role, the quest for political freedom for Tibet was on everyone’s mind. A 16-member team of cyclists, wearing lime-green Free Tibet T-shirts, stood proudly in the front of the crowd. They had just arrived from Washington after riding in a two-week “Peace Ride for Tibet’s Independence.”
The cyclists and their supporters had marched peacefully yesterday afternoon from the Chinese consulate to the Munk Centre for International Studies at the University of Toronto where a two-day conference on Canadian and Chinese relations was being held.
There they loudly expressed their dismay that the conference, co-sponsored by the Canadian government, did not include representatives of groups critical of Chinese government policies.
Earlier in the day, a small group of Torontonians and tourists waited inside Pearson International’s new terminal to catch a glimpse of the Dalai Lama after his plane touched down from Ottawa where he met with Prime Minister Paul Martin on Friday.
Mayor David Miller greeted the Dalai Lama with a white katak — a ceremonial scarf — announcing it was an honour to welcome him to Toronto.
For information on the Dalai Lama’s visit, go to http://www.kalachakra2004.com
