Tibetans Mark Dushera
Saturday, 15 October 2005, 12:49
Dharamshala: Much as across India, Gamru, a village adjacent to the hub of the Central Tibetan Administration here, celebrates the festival of Dushera with pomp and pageantry every year.
However, for a pleasant change, the celebration at Gamru this year had Tibetans in their amidst. The most notable of them was the vice chair of the Assembly of the Tibetan People’s Deputies, Dolma Gyari.
She was the chief guest on the day of final denouement of the occasion last Wednesday.
The festival marks the triumph of Lord Rama over the demon king, Ravana. This celebration takes place over ten nights during which Hindus re-enact the victory in a play.
Colossal effigies of Ravana, his brother and son, placed at open spaces, stuffed with explosives, are burned on the tenth day, the Vijayadasmi day, signifying the eventual victory of good over evil.
The spokesperson of the Assembly, Tenzin Norbu, opines that participating in Indian festivals further deepens the strong bond between the Tibetan and the local Indian community.
(www.tibet.net is the official website of the Central Tibetan Administration.)