In a deeply moving display of solidarity, Tibetan settlements across India, Nepal, and Bhutan held prayer services for the victims of the devastating earthquake that struck Tibet on January 7, 2025. The quake, which severely impacted Dingri and other regions in upper Tibet, occurred at approximately 9:00 AM. While Chinese state media reported a magnitude of 6.8, the U.S. Geological Survey recorded it as 7.1. This disaster has tragically claimed over 129 lives, injured nearly 188 people, and caused untold suffering in a land already enduring decades of occupation.

The Tibetan exile community, bound by an unbreakable connection to their homeland, responded with collective grief and compassion. Settlement Officers coordinated prayer services in monasteries, where local communities gathered to offer their prayers and condolences. Addressing the attendees, officials emphasized the immense pain of witnessing such a tragedy unfold in their beloved homeland, made even more heartrending by the ongoing challenges Tibetans face under Chinese occupation.

 

The services became a powerful expression of shared sorrow and resilience. Monks, nuns, and laypeople of all ages united to honor the lives lost and pray for the swift recovery of the injured. The anguish of being unable to offer direct aid to their people under occupation was palpable, yet these gatherings reflected the enduring strength of Tibetan culture and faith.

Participants offered heartfelt condolences to the grieving families and lit butter lamps as a symbol of hope and remembrance. Through tears and prayers, the Tibetan exile community reaffirmed their unwavering solidarity with their brothers and sisters in Tibet, vowing to keep their spirit and struggles alive despite the immense challenges of separation and loss.