TAWANG: Mr Pema Khandu, Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, requested His Holiness the Dalai Lama to hold Kalachakra, one of the most sacred teachings in Tibetan Buddhism, at Tawang monastery in the future. The request was made during the first day of teaching on ‘Thirty Seven Practices of a Bodhisattva’ by His Holiness the Dalai Lama at Yiga Choezin ground in Tawang monastery this morning.
The teaching was attended by thousands of devotees including Principal Secretary Jambey Tashi, Mr Sudhanshu Mittal, BJP coordinator, along with ministers and MLAs of the state.
Addressing the gathering, Chief Minister Pema Khandu expressed the state’s gratitude to His Holiness for coming to Arunachal after eight years since his last visit in 2009. He expressed regret over the weather conditions, however, he thanked His Holiness for not giving up and travelling to Tawang by car which he said is a symbol of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s love for the people of Tawang and commitment to the spiritual bond shared by the Monpas with His Holiness.
He expressed his good fortune at being alive at the same time as His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama and thanked him for visiting Tawang for the sixth time. He recalled His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s first teaching in exile at Tawang monastery during his flight from Lhasa into exile almost 58 years ago.
The Chief Minister also vowed to fulfil His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s advice and promised to provide funds from the state government to transform Yiga Choeling into a center of academic excellence. He further promised to organise debates and conferences on religious harmony at the site.
The Chief Minister also requested His Holiness to hold a Kalachakra teaching at Tawang monastery in the future.