By Phuntsok Yangchen
DHARAMSHALA, September 16: The Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama was accorded a grand reception today upon his arrival in Mussoorie, his first exile home in India.
Local Tibetans and students from two of the oldest Tibetan schools in exile, Central School for Tibetans, Mussoorie and Tibetan Homes Foundation School, lined up on the streets to welcome the 77-year-old Tibetan leader, as artistes performed the auspicious Tashi Sholpa dance.
Over the next two days, the Dalai Lama is scheduled to preside over the Golden Jubilee commemorations of THF School and also give teachings.
Hundreds of alumni of the school from all over the world have thronged Happy Valley (Tib: Gadenling) to receive blessings from His Holiness and to take part in the celebrations.
Established by the Dalai Lama soon after Tibet’s exodus into exile, the late Rinchen Dolma Taring, also known as the ‘Daughter of Tibet,’ took charge of the school. As the first General Secretary of the Foundation, her service and contribution have been pivotal in the success story of the school.
THF in an earlier release said that it takes “great pride in reporting that several thousand Tibetan children have successfully graduated from homes and are serving the community at large all around the world.”
The Foundation has two branch schools in Rajpur and Rishikesh, with a total of over 2400 children under its care.
Upon entering India on March 30, 1959 after a harrowing 14-day journey, His Holiness took up residence at the Birla House in Happy Valley on April 20 the same year.
During his stay of a little over a year in Mussoorie, the Dalai Lama met with the then Indian Prime Minister, Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru on several occasions, held his first press conference after arriving into exile on June 20, established the first Tibetan school, and along with his administration, looked after the welfare of thousands of fleeing Tibetan refugees.
Earlier today, His Holiness visited the Rajpur Old Age Home and Handicraft Center and also gave a talk on “Ethics for the New Millennium” at the Woodstock School in Mussoorie.
Yesterday, the Dalai Lama gave Avalokiteshvera Initiation to thousands of disciples at the Tashi Khyil Monastery in Dhondupling Tibetan Settlement, Clement Town and also paid a visit to the Tibetan Children’s Village School in Selakui near Dehradun.
