GANGTOK, April 20 – It was a long wait but worth it. Thousands thronged the streets of Sikkim waiting to catch a glimpse of the Dalai Lama as he arrived here late in the evening. The gentle drizzle that continued till late hours today didn’t deter the crowds that gathered at every vantage point on NH-31A to greet the supreme spiritual leader.
But the truant weather prevailed prompting a slight change of plans in the last moment. His aerial journey from Bagdogra airport to Gangtok by helicopter was cancelled and he took the road route instead. Those assembled at Libing helipad near Gangtok to welcome the Dalai Lama then rushed to Rangpo border in Sikkim.
At Rangpo, the Dalai Lama was given a rousing welcome and his convoy then proceeded to Gangtok escorted by senior state government officials, including state ministers, MLAs and others. Along with the locals, also seen were a large number of Dalai Lama’s followers from outside.
Thousands arrived from nearby places like Darjeeling and North Bengal. Also seen were good many foreign nationals. Many were seen waving the Tibetan flag as they cheered the Dalai Lama, as his entourage passed though. Soon after his arrival at Gangtok, the Dalai Lama called on the Governor of Sikkim, Mr V Rama Rao, and the chief minister, Mr Pawan Kumar Chamling.
From tomorrow, the Dalai Lama is scheduled to hold spiritual discourse at Gangtok’s Guard’s ground, where massive arrangements have been made to accommodate thousands of his followers. There, he will teach his followers on Semnyid Ngalso (relaxing the mind). Apart from the regular discourses, he will also deliver a talk on Compassion and Universal Responsibility for Intellectuals. Later this week he will visit Ravangla in South Sikkim and then leave for Samdruptse, to view the massive statue of Guru Padmsambhava. He had laid the foundation of the state during his last visit to Sikkim.
He will then visit Zurmang Gharwang Gompa at Namchi followed by visits to various other monasteries of the state. Although, not his first visit to Sikkim, the spiritual leader’s present trip to the state is the first in a clear diplomatic atmosphere that has been since China’s recognition of Sikkim as a part of India.
