His Holiness Leaves for Kalmykia
Dharamsala 29 November: The Buddhist citizens of Kalmykia were jubilant, as their long awaited dream of twelve years has finally come true. His Holiness the Dalai Lama yesterday left Dharamsala on a three – day visit to the Russian Republic of Kalmykia, a Buddhist dominated region in Russia. The Buddhists of Kalmykia have been urging the Russian government to allow His Holiness to visit Kalmykia but the latter twice denied visa to His Holiness. His Holiness will give Buddhist teachings at Shedrup Choekhorling, the main temple of Kalmyk Buddhists
Kirsan Nikolayevich llyumzhinov, president of Kalmykia, had traveled several times to Dharamsala, India, to extend his people’s invitation to His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
The majority of Kalmykia’s 130,000 people are descendants of the Mongol Oriat tribe and followers of Tibetan Buddhism.
For decades, their culture and Buddhist faith were persecuted by the Stalinists. In 1943 Stalin exiled the entire Kalmyk population to Siberia and northern parts of Russia. After the death of Stalin, the Kalmyk Autonomous Republic was established and its people allowed to return home.
Gorbachev and his glasnost policy paved the way for the revival of Kalmykia’s destroyed Buddhist tradition.
This is the third visit of the Tibetan leader to Kalmykia. His Holiness will arrive in Bangalore on 1 December. His Holiness will give teachings in Bylakupee and Hunsur Tibetan settlements. His Holiness returns to Dharamsala on 27 December.