By David Torrelli
A touch of Tibet hit Shepparton yesterday when monks, now living in India after leaving their native Tibet, visited City Central arcade.
The monks are in Shepparton to raise public awareness of their plight, and raise money to support projects for Tibetan children and villagers.
Phuntsok, the only Englishspeaking monk in the group, said this was his second visit to Australia and enjoyed every minute of it.
“Australian people are very friendly and kind. Australia is very clean, clean air and food,” Phuntsok said.
“We are sharing our culture with Australia.”
One of the projects the monks want to fund is the building of a hospital.
Last year’s fundraising effort built a school for 178 students.
“We want to build a school and hospital for the people in Tibet,” Phuntsok said.
The monks are sponsored by Nying-Jey Projects, an Australian organisation that helps raise funds for Tibet-based projects.
Australia-based monk Sonam Thargye said he was pleased to have the monks visiting the country.
“I am very happy to have them here. They like Australia very much and the people always help them,” Dr Thargye said.
“The money raised in this visit will go towards building the hospital in Tibet. We all volunteer our time and don’t get paid for this.”
While the monks desire a return to Tibet, they are happy to follow their holy leader, the Dalai Lama, wherever he goes.
“His holiness the Dalai Lama lives in India because of the situation in Tibet. When he returns, so will the monks,” Dr Thargye said.
“The monks are at peace right now; peace comes from a person’s heart.”
