(TibetanReview.net, Jan22’24) – The Dalai Lama arrived back at his Thekchen Choling home in Dharamshala, India, today after being away for some 40 days, visiting Sikkim, Bagdogra (West Bengal) and Bodh Gaya to mainly give a series of religious teachings. He was given a rousing reception by a large gathering of Tibetans and others led by Sikyong Penpa Tsering and Deputy Speaker Dolma Tsering Teykhang of the Central Tibetan Administration upon landing at Kangra’s Gaggal airport.
Tibetans lined much of the street along his journey from the airport to his residence, a distance of some 20 km.
Though invited, the Dalai Lama could not attend India’s historic ceremony for the consecration or “pran pratistha” of Ram Lalla’s idol in the sanctum sanctorum of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, today due to his knee problem, according to a news report. The idol depicts Lord Ram, one of India’s most popular deities, as a five-year-old.
Following his teachings in Sikkim’s capital Gangtok in a sports stadium and at Sed-gyued Monastery, Salugara-Bagdogra, the Dalai Lama flew to Bodh Gaya on Dec 15, where he inaugurated the first of an international inter-Buddhist conference on Dec 20, followed by leading a prayer for world peace with the participants on Dec 23, and giving of religious teachings over Dec 29-31, which ended with a long-life prayer ceremony offered to him on Jan 1.
The Dalai Lama also attended a Geshe Lharampa convocation ceremony on Jan 3 and joined the 35th Nyingma Monlam Chenmo congregation on Jan 18.
Chief Ministers Pema Khandu of Arunachal Pradesh and Nitish Kumar of Bihar were among top state leaders he met with or who called on him during his Bodh Gaya stay.