By Shyamal Sinha
Bylakuppe is an area in Karnataka which is home to the Indian town Bylakuppe and several Tibetan settlements (there are several Tibetan settlements in India), established by Lugsum Samdupling (in 1961) and Dickyi Larsoe (in 1969). Bylakuppe is the second largest Tibetan settlement in the world outside Tibet after Dharmashala
Karnataka Chief Minister Shri. H.D. Kumaraswamy visited the Bylakuppe Tibetan settlement, home to the largest Tibetan refugee population in India, for the first time ever, and sought blessings at Tibetan Buddhist monasteries in the settlement. The first visit was to the Namdroling Monastery where all heads of the monasteries, Tibetan Members of Parliament, Chief Representative of CTA (South Zone), two Settlements Officers and various organisations and community leaders with school band and cultural troupe received him.
The Chief Minister was also accompanied by Deputy Commissioner, Mysore District, Police IG and Superintendent of Police, Mysore District, Assistant Commissioner of Hunsur Division, Tahsildar and many other district officials.
The Namdroling Monastery extended very warm welcome and felicitated Chief Minister and other Ministers and district officials. After welcome speech by the Abbot of the Namdroling Monastery, the Chief Minister extended greetings to all monks and in his brief speech mentioned about Tibetan people soft and well preserved Buddhist and culture manner. He said, he is deeply touched by the reception extended to him and assured us that he will extend all possible assistance and support to Tibetans.
The aim of this visit, which was on the behest of the Local MLA and Chief Representative of CTA (South Zone) and Tibetan settlements of Bylakuppe was to enable the Hon’ble Chief Minister to experience the grandeur and serenity of the Tibetan settlements as well as to took part in the ceremonies and rituals of monasteries, which have served as a major Buddhist learning centre to many devotees and interested students across the world.
Later, the Chief Minister visited Sera Lachi Monastery and was similarly received by Heads of monasteries and leaders of various organisations. The two Abbots of Sera Jey and Sera Mey extended special welcome to their monastery.
At the main prayer hall of Sera Lachi Monastery, Chophel Thupten, Chief Representative, CTA (South Zone), extended welcome to all delegates and expressed his gratitude to the people and state government of Karnataka for their steadfast support and commitment to the Tibetan people in Karnataka.
Shri. K. Mahadeva, Local MLA also extended welcome to Chief Minister and all other delegates. He reported to Chief Minister, the Tibetans and local have been living very peaceful and always working together towards the development of the area.
The Chief Minister, in his keynote address at the official ceremony in Sera Monastery said that: he is very much touched by the warm welcome extended to him. He thanked for conducting special prayer for world peace and especially praying for the betterment and development of the people and Government of Karnataka State. He further added that, it has been 60 years since Tibetans have been living here and have almost become their second home. He also added, he was pleased to meet His Holiness the Dalai Lama last year during ” Thank You Karnataka” event in Bengaluru and have high regards and respect for His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Finally, the Chief Minister committed to extend all possible assistance and help to the Tibetan community in the future.
Mementos of appreciation were presented to the Hon’ble Chief Minister and other Karnataka Government Ministers and dignitaries jointly by the two Tibetan settlements and from Sera Lachi Monastery.
The Chief Representative of CTA (South Zone) in his separate meeting with Hon’ble Chief Minister brought up few major issues of the Tibetan settlements in Karnataka. He requested to extend similar support and assistance in the future too for all five Tibetan settlements in Karnataka.
The Hon’ble Chief Minister and all other dignitaries left for Mysore City after attending various programs for almost 3 hours in the Bylakuppe Tibetan settlements.
Today, an estimated 70,000 Tibetans live in the settlements; these were established on land leased by the state government to accommodate some of the Tibetan expatriates who came to resettle in India after 1959. Bylakuppe consists of a number of agricultural settlements, colonies are close to each other, and has number of monasteries and temples in all the major Tibetan Buddhist traditions. Most notable among them are the large educational monastic institution Sera Monastery, the smaller Tashi Lhunpo Monastery (both in the Gelug tradition) and Namdroling Monastery (in the Nyingma tradition). Bylakuppe also has many Buddhist universities for advanced Buddhist practices.
source – cta
