by Dhawa Dhondup (Acharya),
Sydney, July 7 July: Sydney’s Tibetan community, along with over a dozen of Tibet-support groups and Tibetan Buddhist centres, celebrated His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s 72nd birthday, here at the historic Town Hall of the inner-city suburb of Petersham.
Two rows of Ordained Sangha members opened the event with melodious yet touching prayers requesting His Holiness to kindly continue to live long. Midway into these chantings, the Chief Guest for the day, Mr Ngodup Gyaltsen (the Executive Secretary, Tibet Information Office, Canberra) led the paying of obeisance – in the form of offering the ceremonial Khatak-scarf – to His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
Little Tibetan children, cutely dressed in Chupas of bright colours, sang the Tibetan national anthem with a twang of Aussie accent, but it wasn’t the other way round when they next high-pitched the Australian anthem.
Mr Jigmey Dorjee, the President of the Tibetan Community, welcomed the packed hall and thanked everyone for choosing to sacrifice their precious Saturday weekend time in attending the celebration. The President also acknowledged to an enthusiastic applause from everyone the presence of the Reverend Father Bill Crews, who is a great friend of Tibetans and is respected highly in the Australian society for his ecumenical openess.
On behalf of the Tibetan government-in-exile, Mr Ngodup Gyaltsen read, in Tibetan, the Kashag’s (the Cabinet’s) Statement for the occasion. At Mr Ngodup’s request, Mr Dhawa Dhondup (Acharya) gave an impromptu English translation of the Statement.
Starting with Well-wishing, propitious Tashi Sholpa bard-dance, the Cultural Section of the Tibetan Community presented a number of traditional dances and songs. The Community’s music teachers and former TIPA graduates Mrs Dawa Dolma and Mr Nyima Tashi sang, besides other numbers, a classical Nangma to the accompaniment of traditional dra-nyen guitars.
The morning programme concluded with a Yak Dance. The Tibetan Community catered the lunch, which was included in the entry-by-ticket admission. All foods were cooked on the premises and the public had all but praise for the cuisine which comprised of Tibetan momos (vegetarian), tropical rice and oriental noodles.
More dancing and singing followed in the afternoon. All of them, whether solo, duet, or in group, stuck to traditional themes and tunes.
A pair of fluffy Tibetan Snowlions brought the celebrations to conclusion with a happy Snowlion Dance. Improvising of doing a lap of the hall, by passing through the packed crowd, only saw the mythical animals chased by a score of giggling Tibetan children!
