On April 25, students and staff members of Tibetan Children’s Village – Gopalpur under the initiative of ‘Phakay Danglang Tsokchung’ commemorated the 27th birthday of the 11th Panchen Lama Gedun Choekyi Nyima. Mr. Jampa Tenzin from Tibetan Library and Archives – CTA, has been the guest of honor and the program got started with offering of butter lamp before the portrait of the 10th Panchen Lama. Thereafter, the chief guest is requested to make a speech for the occasion. The guest of honor said on one hand, it gives us immense joy that HH the Dalai Lama was able to recognize the authentic reincarnation of the Panchen Lama. But this joy is undermined by the memory of the time when the young Panchen Lama and his family were taken into captivity by the Chinese authorities. It is a matter of great concern for all the Tibetans that the state of 11th Panchen Lama’s physical and mental health remains unknown till date. His very existence is in doubt since he became the youngest prisoner of conscience on May 17, 1995. He further said that the distinguished 10th Panchen Lama devoted his whole life to the welfare of the Tibetan people. On May 18, 1962, He presented Mao and other Chinese dignitaries the 70,000 Character Petition, a document elaborately explained the Tibetan people’s grievances and suggested measures to uplift from political repression. The petition also exposed the Chinese repressive policies against the Tibetans highlighting that Tibetans in Tibet do not enjoy basic human rights, and religious freedom. The experiences of sudden death of the 10th Panchen Lama and disappearance of current 11th Panchen Lama undoubtedly serve as strong testimony of the Chinese government’s conscious and deliberate efforts to control every aspects of the Tibetan way of life, which provoke the self immolations protests. And then, the 2nd edition of (བྱིས་པའི་ལྡུམ་རྭ།) was released by the Tibetan department of Junior Section. Children’s Literature Garden (བྱིས་པའི་ལྡུམ་རྭ།) is tri-monthly publication from the junior section under the editorship of Rev. Khenpo Ngodup Sonam. He is being assisted by Mr. Chungdak, the assistant headmaster and Miss. Yangtso, the Tibetan department head.
The celebration was followed by presentation of songs attributed to the 11th Panchen Lama by members of ‘Phakay Danglang’.
The celebration was followed by presentation of songs attributed to the 11th Panchen Lama by members of ‘Phakay Danglang’.
