(TibetanReview.net, Mar01’22) – The Tsuglakhang, better known to visitors as the Dalai Lama Temple, located within the Thekchen Choeling compound of the Tibetan spiritual leader’s residence, is to finally reopen on Mar 3, the first day of Losar, the Tibetan New Year, after two years.
The major exile Tibetan place of worship as well as tourist attraction has remained shut since Mar 2020 following the outbreak of the global Covid-19 pandemic.
The reopening is subject to visitors following strict Covid-19 norms, the Thekchen Choeling Charitable Society has said in a notice Feb 28.
The notice asks the public to wear masks at all times, maintain proper social distancing and sanitize as and when anyone enters the premises.
The hotel and tourism industry of Dharamsala had been urging the government to reopen the Dalai Lama temple and other Tibetan monasteries in the region, said the tribuneindia.com Feb 28.
The report said the members of the hotel and tourism industry had urged the government to revive the Buddhist tourist circuit in the region in view of the losses they had suffered due to reduced tourist footfall in the Kangra region.
The announcement of the reopening followed a steep decline in the third wave of Covid-19 cases in India. This morning, India reported 6,915 cases during the past 24 hours, which is 14% lower than that reported during the previous day, with 180 deaths. Himachal Pradesh reported 88 cases and 2 deaths.
However, India has decided to continue the ban on regular commercial international flight services until further order even as it reopened schools and colleges for fully offline classes, besides relaxing all other Covid restrictions.