Dharamshala: Kalon Karma Gelek Yuthok of Department of Religion and Culture, CTA attended a book launch ceremony at Library of Tibetan Works and Archives as the Chief Guest earlier today.
Other guests including Parliamentarian Geshe Atruk Tseten, Sangay Tendar Naga and the author Gongthang Durkbey.
The book titled ‘Gung thang zhib jug’ is a biography of the 6th Gungthang Rinpoche, the second most senior religious leader at Labrang monastery, based on the extensive research and analysis conducted by the author Gongthang Durkbey.
The ceremony began with the author’s briefing on the book in which he spoke on the lineage of the Gungthang particularly the legacies and achievements of Gungthang Rinpoche. The book also delves on the relationship between Gungthang Rinpoche, the 10th Panchen Lama and His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
Chief Guest Kalon Karma Gelek Yuthok, Department of Religion and Culture extolled the author for producing such a resourceful publication. He further acknowledged the Library Tibetan Works and Archives for publishing the book and similarly hundreds other books which focus on the history of Tibet. Kalon then briefly touched upon the spiritual relationship between His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Gungthang Rinpoche, citing various observations and incidences.
The 6th Gungthang Rinpoche Tenpai Wangchuk (1926-2000) was a highly influential Tibetan lama known as a great and popular scholar in Amdo. He was imprisoned in 1958 during the period of ‘Democratic Reform’ by the Chinese Communist authorities. Rinpoche spent more than 20 years in prison for his refusal to cooperate with Beijing after Chinese troops took control of Tibet in the 1950s.
Following his release in 1979, he was very active as a leader of the religious revival in eastern Tibet, and the reconstruction of his home monastery, Labrang. His teachings of the Kalachakra religious empowerment in the 1990s drew tens of thousands of Tibetans in Tibet.