November 13

Through My Eyes

Saturday November 13

(We continue to listen to the Dalai Lama as he tells of his escape from Tibet.)

"This was the first indication he had given of being no longer in the thrall of our Chinese masters. Unfortunately, my message never reached him and he remained in Tibet.

The next pass was called Sabo-La, which we reached two or three days later. At the top, it was very cold and snowing a blizzard. I began to be deeply worried about some of my companions. Although I was young and fit, some of the older ones amongst my entourage found the going very difficult. But we dared not slacken the pace as we were still in grave danger of being intercepted by Chinese forces. Particularly we were in danger of being caught in a pincer movement by troops stationed at Gyantse and in the Kongpo region.

At first, it was my intention to halt at Lhuntse Dzong, not far from the Indian border, where I would repudiate the Seventeen-Point 'Agreement', re-establish my Government as the rightful administration of all Tibet, and try to open negotiations with the Chinese. However, on about the fifth day, we were overtaken by a posse of horsemen who brought terrible news. Just over forty-eight hours after my departure, the Chinese had begun to shell the Norbulingka and to machine-gun the defenceless crowd, which was still in place. My worst fears had come true. I realised that it would be impossible to negotiate with people who behaved in this cruel and criminal fashion. There was nothing for it now but for us to get as far away as possible, though India still lay many days' journey distant, with several more high mountain passes in between.

When eventually we reached Lhuntse Dong, after more than a week's travel, we paused for only two nights, just long enough for me formally to repudiate the Seventeen-Point 'Agreement' and to announce the formation of my own Government, the only legally constituted authority in the land. Over a thousand people attended the ceremony of consecration. I wanted very much to stay longer, but reports informed us that there were Chinese troop movements not far away. So reluctantly we prepared to move on to the Indian border, which now lay just sixty miles away in a straight line, although actually about double that on the ground. There was still another range of mountains to cross and it would take several more days to cover the distance, especially as our ponies were already worn out and there was very little fodder to give them. They would need frequent halts to conserve their energy. Before we left, I sent on a small party of the fittest men, who were to reach India as quickly as possible, find the nearest officials and warn them that I was planning to seek asylum there.

From Lhuntse Dzong we passed to the small village of Jhora and from there to the Karpo pass, the last before the border. Just as we were nearing the highest point of the track we received a bad shock. Out of nowhere, an aeroplane appeared and flew directly overhead. It passed quickly- too quickly for anyone to be able to see what markings it had- but not so fast that the people on board could have missed spotting us. This was not a good sign. If it was Chinese, as it probably was, there was a good chance that they now knew where we were. With this information they cold return to attack us from the air, against which we had no protection. Whatever the identity of the aircraft, it was a forceful reminder that I was not safe anywhere in Tibet. Any misgivings I had about going into exile vanished with this realisation: India was our only hope.

A little later, the men I had sent on from Lhuntse Dzong returned with the news that the Indian Government had signalled its willingness to receive me. I was very relieved to hear this, as I had not wanted to set foot in India without permission.

I spent my last night in Tibet at a tiny village called Mangmang. No sooner had we reached this final outpost of the Land of Snows than it began to rain. This was on top of a week of appalling weather, which threw blizzards and snow glare at us by turns as we straggled along. We were all exhausted and it was the last thing that we needed, but it continued torrentially throughout the night. To make matters worse, my tent leaked and no matter where I dragged my bedding I could not escape the water which ran in rivulets down the inside. The result was that the fever I had been fighting off for the past few days developed overnight into a case of full-blown dysentery.

The following morning, I was too ill to continue, so we remained where we were. My companions moved me to a small house nearby, but it provided little more protection than my tent. Moreover, I was oppressed by the stench of cows that rose from the ground floor to where I lay above. That day, I heard on the small portable radio we had with us a report on All-India Radio saying that I was en route to India, but that I had fallen off my horse and was badly injured. This cheered me up rather, as it was one misfortune that I had managed to avoid, though I knew my friends would be concerned.

Next day, I decided to move on. I now had the difficult task of saying goodbye to the soldiers and freedom fighters who had escorted me all the way from Lhasa, and who were now about to turn and face the Chinese. There was one official too who decided to remain. He said that he did not think that he could be of much use in India, therefore it would be better to stay and fight. I really admired his determination and courage.

After bidding these people a tearful farewell, I was helped on to the broad back of a dzomo, for I was still too ill to ride a horse. And it was on this humble form of transport that I left my native land."

( The weather though cruel may well have been created by the deity both to protect the Dalai Lama from an air attack. 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? We're in our Buryat winter now so two as one we've made the usual color changes in the pages! It was wondrous outside so I began the day wandering about taking pictures before the snow melted. I went all the way through the Grove then down to the mulberry tree we two as one planted then returned, resting by your Medlar tree as usual before returning to our studio to spin for you. After that I worked on the trellis. Two as one pulling strongly together we've completed digging the holes and putting in the posts! Mom checked it over. She thinks it's fine although a bit massive. The posts won't look as big when the raspberries have grown in around them though. Then I returned to our studio to work on the Grove pages and our a land of Tibet. Two as one we've made good progress on the pages now and have almost completed pages describing the liming. There were a few of the usual preparations for winter in 2003, we can mention them with a picture or two then it's on to the pages preparing for spring 2004! Two as one we've fixed more mistakes on the pages including the ones on our spinning page and those from our sacred place. We've also noticed one on in the drawings and notes from our a land of Tibet. I forgot to mention Yeshe Tsogyel! It is highly likely that she was the one who hid the fourfold treatise in the column on the rooftop of the Samye as she did many of the other of the sacred texts. I'm going to put up the pages on our infosite;I'll put this up for now 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 November 13 (We continue to listen to the Dalai Lama as he tells of his escape from Tibet.) "This was the first indication he had given of being no longer in the thrall of our Chinese masters. Unfortunately, my message never reached him and he remained in Tibet. The next pass was called Sabo-La, which we reached two or three days later. At the top, it was very cold and snowing a blizzard. I began to be deeply worried about some of my companions. Although I was young and fit, some of the older ones amongst my entourage found the going very difficult. But we dared not slacken the pace as we were still in grave danger of being intercepted by Chinese forces. Particularly we were in danger of being caught in a pincer movement by troops stationed at Gyantse and in the Kongpo region. At first, it was my intention to halt at Lhuntse Dzong, not far from the Indian border, where I would repudiate the Seventeen-Point 'Agreement', re-establish my Government as the rightful administration of all Tibet, and try to open negotiations with the Chinese. However, on about the fifth day, we were overtaken by a posse of horsemen who brought terrible news. Just over forty-eight hours after my departure, the Chinese had begun to shell the Norbulingka and to machine-gun the defenceless crowd, which was still in place. My worst fears had come true. I realised that it would be impossible to negotiate with people who behaved in this cruel and criminal fashion. There was nothing for it now but for us to get as far away as possible, though India still lay many days' journey distant, with several more high mountain passes in between. When eventually we reached Lhuntse Dong, after more than a week's travel, we paused for only two nights, just long enough for me formally to repudiate the Seventeen-Point 'Agreement' and to announce the formation of my own Government, the only legally constituted authority in the land. Over a thousand people attended the ceremony of consecration. I wanted very much to stay longer, but reports informed us that there were Chinese troop movements not far away. So reluctantly we prepared to move on to the Indian border, which now lay just sixty miles away in a straight line, although actually about double that on the ground. There was still another range of mountains to cross and it would take several more days to cover the distance, especially as our ponies were already worn out and there was very little fodder to give them. They would need frequent halts to conserve their energy. Before we left, I sent on a small party of the fittest men, who were to reach India as quickly as possible, find the nearest officials and warn them that I was planning to seek asylum there. From Lhuntse Dzong we passed to the small village of Jhora and from there to the Karpo pass, the last before the border. Just as we were nearing the highest point of the track we received a bad shock. Out of nowhere, an aeroplane appeared and flew directly overhead. It passed quickly- too quickly for anyone to be able to see what markings it had- but not so fast that the people on board could have missed spotting us. This was not a good sign. If it was Chinese, as it probably was, there was a good chance that they now knew where we were. With this information they cold return to attack us from the air, against which we had no protection. Whatever the identity of the aircraft, it was a forceful reminder that I was not safe anywhere in Tibet. Any misgivings I had about going into exile vanished with this realisation: India was our only hope. A little later, the men I had sent on from Lhuntse Dzong returned with the news that the Indian Government had signalled its willingness to receive me. I was very relieved to hear this, as I had not wanted to set foot in India without permission. I spent my last night in Tibet at a tiny village called Mangmang. No sooner had we reached this final outpost of the Land of Snows than it began to rain. This was on top of a week of appalling weather, which threw blizzards and snow glare at us by turns as we straggled along. We were all exhausted and it was the last thing that we needed, but it continued torrentially throughout the night. To make matters worse, my tent leaked and no matter where I dragged my bedding I could not escape the water which ran in rivulets down the inside. The result was that the fever I had been fighting off for the past few days developed overnight into a case of full-blown dysentery. The following morning, I was too ill to continue, so we remained where we were. My companions moved me to a small house nearby, but it provided little more protection than my tent. Moreover, I was oppressed by the stench of cows that rose from the ground floor to where I lay above. That day, I heard on the small portable radio we had with us a report on All-India Radio saying that I was en route to India, but that I had fallen off my horse and was badly injured. This cheered me up rather, as it was one misfortune that I had managed to avoid, though I knew my friends would be concerned. Next day, I decided to move on. I now had the difficult task of saying goodbye to the soldiers and freedom fighters who had escorted me all the way from Lhasa, and who were now about to turn and face the Chinese. There was one official too who decided to remain. He said that he did not think that he could be of much use in India, therefore it would be better to stay and fight. I really admired his determination and courage. After bidding these people a tearful farewell, I was helped on to the broad back of a dzomo, for I was still too ill to ride a horse. And it was on this humble form of transport that I left my native land." ( The weather though cruel may well have been created by the deity both to protect the Dalai Lama from an air attack. 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? We're in our Buryat winter now so two as one we've made the usual color changes in the pages! It was wondrous outside so I began the day wandering about taking pictures before the snow melted. I went all the way through the Grove then down to the mulberry tree we two as one planted then returned, resting by your Medlar tree as usual before returning to our studio to spin for you. After that I worked on the trellis. Two as one pulling strongly together we've completed digging the holes and putting in the posts! Mom checked it over. She thinks it's fine although a bit massive. The posts won't look as big when the raspberries have grown in around them though. Then I returned to our studio to work on the Grove pages and our a land of Tibet. Two as one we've made good progress on the pages now and have almost completed pages describing the liming. There were a few of the usual preparations for winter in 2003, we can mention them with a picture or two then it's on to the pages preparing for spring 2004! Two as one we've fixed more mistakes on the pages including the ones on our spinning page and those from our sacred place. We've also noticed one on in the drawings and notes from our a land of Tibet. I forgot to mention Yeshe Tsogyel! It is highly likely that she was the one who hid the fourfold treatise in the column on the rooftop of the Samye as she did many of the other of the sacred texts. I'm going to put up the pages on our infosite;I'll put this up for now 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!)