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Dalai Lama given rousing reception in Ladakh

Tibet Sun newsroom | Tibet Sun

The Dalai Lama smiles as he celebrates his 75th birth anniversary at Tsugla Khang temple in Mcleod Ganj, India, on 6 July 2010.File photo/Tibet Sun/Lobsang Wangyal/India

Hundreds of well-wishers and supporters accorded an overwhelming reception to the Dalai Lama, who arrived in Nubra valley in Ladakh in the north Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday. He is on a nine-day visit to the region.

Representatives of the local administration, members of the monastic community, and laypeople, carrying khata (ceremonial white scarves), garlands, and incense in their hands, queued up along the road in all the villages from Thoise Airport to Samtenling Monastery to welcome the Dalai Lama.

The Dalai Lama, who celebrated his 75th birthday on 6 July, will consecrate a recently-built 100-foot-high Maitreya Buddha statue. He will give teachings on the Diamond Sutra at Yarma Monastery, and on “The Eight verses of Training the Mind” and “The Three Principal Paths” at Diskit Palace.

Thousands of devotees from all over the country as well as from abroad are expected to reach Nubra valley in the coming days for blessing and to participate in the sermons.

The trip will be the Dalai Lama’s second visit to Jammu and Kashmir in less than a month. He visited Gulabgarh, the only Buddhist-dominated town in Jammu region, earlier this month.

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