Bangalore; January 27— The Tibetan leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama will be in southern Indian state of Karnataka, home to the largest number of Tibetan refugees in India, starting this Saturday for over a week.
The Tibetan leader will attend a commemorative function Saturday in Chitradurga, 500 Kms from Bangaore, for late former chief minister of the state, S. Nijalingapa, who provided land for Tibetan settlements in his state and other humanitarian assistance for the Tibetan refugees in early years of exile.
The Tibetan leader will visit St. Joseph college of Arts and Science on Sunday to deliver a lecture to the students and faculty. Dr. (Fr.) Ambrose Pinto, the principal of St. Joseph College said that the Dalai Lama is a symbol of love and peace and a universal leader. “Our college is open for all communities irrespective of sex, caste, color, race and nationality, and we have 116 Tibetan students in our college as of now, “ Father Pinto said. “Supporting Dalai Lama means denouncing the oppression, and suppression, and as well as announcing hope, determination, and brotherhood.”
The lecture at the college will be followed by a public talk on “Finding Happiness in Troubled Times,” organized by the Foundation for the preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT) and Choe Khor Sum Ling at the National College Ground, Basanavagudi in the afternoon.
The Tibetan leader will then head for Mungod Tibetan settlement, second largest Tibetan settlement in India, where he will give teachings on Commentary on the Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way (tsashay ketrid sindrid) and Tara Blessing Empowerment (dolma jenang) on February 1 and 2 at Drepung Lachi hall. This will be followed by conferment of Yamataka Initiation (jigje wang) on February 5 at Gaden Shartse Monastery. On February 6 His Holiness will confer a Buddha Maitreya Blessing Empowerment (jampa gonpo jenang) followed by a long life offering ceremony.
Tendar Tsering, a journalism student in Bangalore, contributed this report
