Tibetan Community in Dharamsala Get Lesson on Gandhi’s Philosophy Thursday, 22 October 2009, 9:22 a.m.

Shri Narayanbhai Desai (R) and Kalon Tripa Samdhong Rinpoche pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at the first-ever teaching series on Gandhiji’s life and thoughts being organised in Dharamsala, India/Photos by Tsephel

Dharamshala: The Tibetan community in Dharamsala are taking keen interest in listening to Gandhi katha by Shri Narayanbhai Desai, son of Mahatma Gandhi’s personal secretary Mahadevbhai. Shri Narayanbhai is the chancellor of Gujarat Vidyapith University, which was founded by Mahatma Gandhi on 18 October 1920.Gandhi katha starts at 2:00 pm everyday with Gandhian bhajans or hymns at Lion’s Club auditorium. Then Shri Narayan Desai starts his talk on Gandhi’s life and thoughts for almost three hours. The Gandhi Katha which began yesterday will go till 25 October.The event is being organised by Swaraj Peeth Trust to mark the centenary celebration of Mahatma Gandhi’s Hind Swaraj or Indian Home Rule, which was penned in 1909.Shri Narayanbhai spoke on Gandhi’s principle of nonviolence, love, truth and devotion, while reminiscing his childhood days spent with the apostle of truth and nonviolence. The talk was enlivened by melodious and inspiring hymns sang by a group of Indian and Tibetan artists from the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts.

Gandhi Katha at Lion’s Club, lower Dharamsala from 21-25 Oct

He said the humanity should apply in their daily lives of the Gandhian ethics of love, justice and nonviolence to tackle their negative counterparts of hatred, injustice and violence.He said apart from the centenary year of Gandhi’s Hind Swaraj, this year is significant as it marks the 50th anniversary of Tibetans in exile and 20 years of Tiananmen Square massacre.Kalon Tripa Prof Samdhong Rinpoche, a prominent advocate of Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy and the chairman of Swaraj Peeth Trust, would be a regular visitor to the five-day katha. A group of officials of the Central Tibetan Administration, Tibetan schoolchildren, members from Tibetan and Indian NGOs and senior Indian citizens are taking part.The organisers of Gandhi katha will receive audience of His Holiness the Dalai Lama at Norbulingka Institute on 26 October.