January 8

Through My Eyes

Saturday January 8

(We continue to listen to Dalai Lama as he tells of arrival at Dharamsala! )

" I began to have some suspicion that the Indian Government was now trying to hide us away somewhere without good communications in the hope that we Tibetans would disappear from the sight of the outside world.

I therefore requested that I be allowed to send a Tibetan Government official to Dharamsala to see whether it was really suitable for our needs. My plea was heard and I sent a member of the Kashag , J.T. Kundeling, to reconnoitre the spot. When he came back after a week's absence, he announced that 'Dharamsala water is better than Mussoorie milk' . So we made preparations to shift camp without delay.

In the meantime, I made the first of many visits to the northern provinces, where thousands of my people were now engaged on road building. I was heartbroken when I saw them. Children, women and men were all working side by side in gangs: former nuns, farmers monks, officials, all thrown together. They had to endure a full day's hard physical toil under a mighty sun, followed by nights crammed into tiny tents. Nobody was yet properly acclimatized to the conditions and even though it was a bit cooler than in the transit camps, heat and humidity still exacted a frightening toll. The air was fetid and thick with mosquitos. As a result, sickness was universal and often fatal, thanks to the already weakened state of people's constitutions. Worse still, the work itself was quite risky. Much of it was done on steep mountain-sides and the dynamite they used claimed its own share of casualties.

Even today, quite a few old people carry the scars from this terrible labour and are lame and crippled. And although now the fruit of their labours is clearly visible, at the time there were moments when their efforts seemed pointless. It took only one fierce downpour of rain to wash away their efforts in a slick of red mud. Yet for all this, despite their desperate situation, the refugees showed me deep, personal respect and listened closely when I said that it was vital for us to remain optimistic. I was very moved.

These first visits to the road camps made me aware of a new problem, however. The children of the roadworkers were suffering badly from malnutrition and their mortality rate was very high. So I contacted the Indian Government, which hurriedly organised a new transit camp dedicated specifically to their needs. At the same time, an initial batch of fifty children was sent to Mussoorie, where the first of our schools had been set up.

On 1 February 1960, the first settlers arrived at Bylakuppe in Mysore state. I heard later that when they saw the land, many of the refugees broke down and cried. The task before them seemed so immense. They had been supplied with tents and basic equipment but apart from this, their only resource was such determination as they could bring to bear.

Just over a month later, on 10 March, just before leaving for Harms with the eighty or so officials who comprised the Tibetan Government in Exile. I began what is now a tradition by making a statement on the anniversary of the Tibetan People's Uprising. On this first occasion, I stressed the need for my people to take a long term view of the situation in Tibet. For those of us in exile, I said that our priority must be resettlement and the continuity of our cultural traditions. As to the future, I stated their belief that , with Truth, Justice and Courage as our weapons, we Tibetans would eventually prevail in regaining freedom for Tibet.

The journey to Dharamsala was by a combination of overnight train and motorcade. Together with my entourage, I left Mussoorie on 29 April 1960 and arrived at Pathankot station in Himachal Pradesh the following day. I well remember the drive that followed our train ride. After about an hour on the road I saw white peaks towering high up in the far distance. We were headed straight for them. On the way we passed through some of the most beautiful countryside in India-lush green fields sprinkled with trees and everywhere flowers wild with colour. After three hours we pulled into the centre of Dharamsala, and I exchanged my limousine for a jeep to ride the final few miles to my house, which was situated just above the village of Mcloed Ganj, overlooking a broad valley.

It was a steep and hair raising climb and I was reminded of some of the journeys around Lhasa where, from the edge of the road, you could sometimes look down thousands of feet. When we arrived at McLeod Ganj, we found that new bamboo gate had been erected for us, with a sign saying 'Welcome' painted in gold letters across the top. From there it was matter of only one more mile to my new home, Swarg Asharam, formerly Highcroft House and residence of the Divisional Commissioner in the days of the British Raj. It was a smallish house, set in a woodland and surrounded by a compound of outbuildings, one of which was the kitchen. A further three houses had been requisitioned for my officials. Although, it had good potential for expansion, this was less room than we had been used to, but I was grateful that we could now settle down."

(Much different from the Potala! I promise to add more tomorrow...)

*( please click here to read of the day with me )

* This is from the book Freedom in Exile The Autobiography of the Dalai Lama by Tenzin Gyatso, the fourteenth

Dalai Lama of Tibet.

Through my eyes

( Please see my spinning for you!)

( Tahshi Deleh gentle one! Kehrahng kusu debo yinpeh? I began the day in our studio spinning for you then worked a bit more on the printing block which with us working two as one is going quite well! After that I worked on the monthly pages. Two as one we've completed the pages for October and November!. I'll put them up for us to look over as usual soon. I'm going to put the pages up on our infosite;I'll put this up a bit early so we can rest.

And so, as always we'll continue two as one on to tomorrow

my one gentle beautiful patient swift dream bright

long dark mane in sunlight

so for now I bid goodnight...Simjah Nahngo!)


	Through My Eyes Saturday January 8 (We continue to listen to Dalai Lama as he tells of arrival at Dharamsala! ) " I began to have some suspicion that the Indian Government was now trying to hide us away somewhere without good communications in the hope that we Tibetans would disappear from the sight of the outside world. I therefore requested that I be allowed to send a Tibetan Government official to Dharamsala to see whether it was really suitable for our needs. My plea was heard and I sent a member of the Kashag , J.T. Kundeling, to reconnoitre the spot. When he came back after a week's absence, he announced that 'Dharamsala water is better than Mussoorie milk' . So we made preparations to shift camp without delay. In the meantime, I made the first of many visits to the northern provinces, where thousands of my people were now engaged on road building. I was heartbroken when I saw them. Children, women and men were all working side by side in gangs: former nuns, farmers monks, officials, all thrown together. They had to endure a full day's hard physical toil under a mighty sun, followed by nights crammed into tiny tents. Nobody was yet properly acclimatized to the conditions and even though it was a bit cooler than in the transit camps, heat and humidity still exacted a frightening toll. The air was fetid and thick with mosquitos. As a result, sickness was universal and often fatal, thanks to the already weakened state of people's constitutions. Worse still, the work itself was quite risky. Much of it was done on steep mountain-sides and the dynamite they used claimed its own share of casualties. Even today, quite a few old people carry the scars from this terrible labour and are lame and crippled. And although now the fruit of their labours is clearly visible, at the time there were moments when their efforts seemed pointless. It took only one fierce downpour of rain to wash away their efforts in a slick of red mud. Yet for all this, despite their desperate situation, the refugees showed me deep, personal respect and listened closely when I said that it was vital for us to remain optimistic. I was very moved. These first visits to the road camps made me aware of a new problem, however. The children of the roadworkers were suffering badly from malnutrition and their mortality rate was very high. So I contacted the Indian Government, which hurriedly organised a new transit camp dedicated specifically to their needs. At the same time, an initial batch of fifty children was sent to Mussoorie, where the first of our schools had been set up. On 1 February 1960, the first settlers arrived at Bylakuppe in Mysore state. I heard later that when they saw the land, many of the refugees broke down and cried. The task before them seemed so immense. They had been supplied with tents and basic equipment but apart from this, their only resource was such determination as they could bring to bear. Just over a month later, on 10 March, just before leaving for Harms with the eighty or so officials who comprised the Tibetan Government in Exile. I began what is now a tradition by making a statement on the anniversary of the Tibetan People's Uprising. On this first occasion, I stressed the need for my people to take a long term view of the situation in Tibet. For those of us in exile, I said that our priority must be resettlement and the continuity of our cultural traditions. As to the future, I stated their belief that , with Truth, Justice and Courage as our weapons, we Tibetans would eventually prevail in regaining freedom for Tibet. The journey to Dharamsala was by a combination of overnight train and motorcade. Together with my entourage, I left Mussoorie on 29 April 1960 and arrived at Pathankot station in Himachal Pradesh the following day. I well remember the drive that followed our train ride. After about an hour on the road I saw white peaks towering high up in the far distance. We were headed straight for them. On the way we passed through some of the most beautiful countryside in India-lush green fields sprinkled with trees and everywhere flowers wild with colour. After three hours we pulled into the centre of Dharamsala, and I exchanged my limousine for a jeep to ride the final few miles to my house, which was situated just above the village of Mcloed Ganj, overlooking a broad valley. It was a steep and hair raising climb and I was reminded of some of the journeys around Lhasa where, from the edge of the road, you could sometimes look down thousands of feet. When we arrived at McLeod Ganj, we found that new bamboo gate had been erected for us, with a sign saying 'Welcome' painted in gold letters across the top. From there it was matter of only one more mile to my new home, Swarg Asharam, formerly Highcroft House and residence of the Divisional Commissioner in the days of the British Raj. It was a smallish house, set in a woodland and surrounded by a compound of outbuildings, one of which was the kitchen. A further three houses had been requisitioned for my officials. Although, it had good potential for expansion, this was less room than we had been used to, but I was grateful that we could now settle down." (Much different from the Potala! I promise to add more tomorrow...) ( please click here to read of the day with me ) This is from the book Freedom in Exile The Autobiography of the Dalai Lama by Tenzin Gyatso, the fourteenth Dalai Lama of Tibet. Through my eyes ( Please see my spinning for you!) ( Tahshi Deleh gentle one! Kehrahng kusu debo yinpeh? I began the day in our studio spinning for you then worked a bit more on the printing block which with us working two as one is going quite well! After that I worked on the monthly pages. Two as one we've completed the pages for October and November!. I'll put them up for us to look over as usual soon. I'm going to put the pages up on our infosite;I'll put this up a bit early so we can rest. And so, as always we'll continue two as one on to tomorrow my one gentle beautiful patient swift dream bright long dark mane in sunlight so for now I bid goodnight...Simjah Nahngo!)