By Tenzin Menkyi
DHARAMSHALA, June 23: The Himachal Pradesh government has renamed the road between the Main Temple, where residence of the Tibetan leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama is situated, and the lower Dharamshala as Potala road, a move that was welcomed by the Tibetan government in exile.
The website of the Central Tibetan Administration said that the Chief Minister of Himachal Virbhadra Singh, renamed the Jogiwara road as Potala Road to honor the Tibetan leader on the occasion of 80th birthday.
Potala palace was the winter residence of the Dalai Lamas until the 14th Dalai Lama fled Tibet after the Chinese occupation in 1959.
Central Tibetan Administration’s website said, ‘The idea for renaming the road as Potala Road was initiated by Sikyong Dr. Lobsang Sangay, the democratically elected political leader of the Tibetan people, during his numerous interactions with local authorities. The idea was finally processed through the Divisional Commissioner’s Office with the unanimous approval of all the local politicians, MLA and finally by the Chief Minister himself.’
However, the Public Works Department of the state seemed to have got another explanation of Potala if the text on of one of the road signs is anything to go by. It reads, “Potala named after a holi hill in south India meaning abode of Avalokiteswara (Buddha of mercy).” Mount Potalaka is a mythological abode of Chenrezig, the Buddha of Compassion, believed to be situated beneath the seas south of India, according to Wikipedia.
The CTA website quoted PM Lobsang Sangay as saying, “The new Potala Road has a powerful symbolism of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s return to the Potala Palace in Tibet from this Potala Road in Dharamshala, reflecting the fervent prayers of all the Tibetan people residing inside and outside Tibet to see His Holiness the Dalai Lama return to Tibet with dignity.”
A 4 km narrow stretch of road connecting McLeod Ganj, and Dharamshala via Gangchen Kyishong, where Central Tibetan Administration is headquartered, is one of the two motorable roads leading to McLeod Ganj. The other is Cantt. Road, stretching 10 kms.
Funds worth Rs 20.90 Crore has been sanctioned by the state government to the ministry of road transport and highways for the concrete roads.
Vijai Singh Mankotia, Vice Chairman, Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Board had once recalled an audience with His Holiness during which the Tibetan leader had reportedly talked about the bad roads of Dharamshala. “During my audience with His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader told me that he was very disappointed about the poor condition of the roads.” Mankotia added that the Dalai Lama even showed him an article published in a foreign newspaper on the traffic chaos and bad road conditions in the hill town.
The Tibetan leader takes the Potala road while commuting from his residence to the Gaggal airport.
