The Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama presently on a month long visit to Ladakh region on Saturday morning arrived in Zanskar, a sub district of Kargil in eastern half of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. His Holiness arrived in the beautiful part of India by helicopter and he is scheduled to give teachings and later head to Kargil.
“Early this morning, His Holiness the Dalai Lama flew from Leh to Zanskar. The helicopter followed the Zanskar River through a spectacularly barren landscape of rocky hills occasionally punctuated by small green settlements. When he landed at the Padum helipad, representatives of the local monastic communities, government officials and other dignitaries were there to welcome him. A light rain began to fall. As he drove through Padum people from all walks of life in the local communities turned out to offer a friendly greet.” said the report in the official website of the Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
The report added that His Holiness was given a formal welcome with an offering of a mandala and representations of the body, speech and mind of the enlightened ones by a group of local representatives, who included: Zanskar Gonpa Association President, Tsultim Dorje; Zanskar Buddhist Association President, Tsewang Choster; Muslim Association President Ghulam Mohuddin; Legislative Council Chairman, Haji Anayal Ali; Executive Councilor, Tourism, Tenzin Sonam; Senior Superintendent of Police, T Gyalpo; and President of the Himalayan Buddhist Cultural Association, Ven. Chosphel Zotpa.
“It’s very good to have arrived in Zanskar once more and the light rain that has fallen after we landed seems auspicious.” His Holiness told the welcome party during the ceremony at New Phodrang. His Holiness confirmed that he would teach Je Tsongkhapa’s ‘Concise Stages of the Path’ over the first two days, as well as granting an empowerment of the Great Compassionate One. He agreed that this could be followed by a Long Life Offering. On the third day he would like to visit local educational and health facilities.