Students of Goa University visit Bylakuppe Tibetan Settlement

Students of Goa University, Department of Sociology, headed by Prof. Joana Coelho visited the Tibetan settlements in Bylakuppe, district of Mysuru. During their two days visit from 28th to 29th January 2023, a tentative program designed by Dekyi Larsoe Tibetan Settlement Office includes visitations to Old Age People Home, Sambhota and TCV Schools, Organic Research Training Center, Sera Monastery, Namdrolling Monastery and Tashi Lhunpo Monastery.

Having reached at late night in Seraje Yiga Choeling Guest House, Bylakuppe on Friday 27th January 2023 from Goa via Mangalore in back paining overnight bus, the students rather being exhausted but charged with afresh enthusiasm to glance into study of exile Tibetan Community started the day as per the schedule. The Professor and students of Goa University were received by the two accountants of Lugsung Samdupling and Dekyi Larsoe Tibetan settlements.

At the end of day, based upon their experience it was an eye opening for the students to realize physically how the Tibetan toiled the land in Bylakuppe, acquainted with the locals and familiarize with dosa and uttapam. More importantly, the students learnt about the in-depth of Tibet’s proximity with India both culturally and geographically. How Buddhism was introduced, studied and preserved by Indian masters and Tibetan scholars respectively was shared to the students.

Needless to state, the students came to learn how Buddhism inside Tibet became the way of life and how it was trampled during the Chinese Communist invasions and then again how it revived back in India with tumultuous efforts and far-sighted vision of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Who could have better impart this information other than Sera Mey Abbot Ven.Geshe Tashi Tsering la who received the students and shared his journey from Tibet to India, India to United Kingdom and then back to India where he is engaged in enriching both the traditional wisdom of Buddhism and modern education faculties amongst the monk of Sera Monastery.

Particularly at Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, they had a formal interaction with office bearers of monastery and participation from CRO Bengaluru. Prof. Joana Coelho revisited her days of first engagement with Tibetan Community in exile to the MoU signed with Drepung Loseling Monastery on SEE learning and mutual exchange of academic discourses. She expressed hope that her students will able to see and study the agony and aspirations of Tibetan people in the light of both practical and theoretical information that they may imbibe through these interventions.

Chief Administrator of Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, Khyilkhang Rinpoche presented a token of souvenir entitled as “Tibet’s Stolen Child” a book upon His Eminence Panchen Lama – the youngest political prisoner of world – kidnapped by Chinese Communist Government. Whereas it may take some time but truth shall triumph in the end – the faith that Tibetans have been holding with for the last more than six decades and still continue to do so. With these queries to quench the thirst, MA First Part Students concluded this visit in assuring their reflection as to how they must enrich and enlighten the traditional wisdom of India and its relation to Tibet.


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