Dharamshala, 21st November: Can naming go too far? According to a blog called Australia-Tibet News and Opinions, Tibetans in Australia have been greatly affected by the revelation of a food menu titled “Dalai Lama” in a Burger restaurant in Ballarat. The title “Dalai Lama” is centuries old and holds great spiritual, cultural, and religious significance for Tibetans and His Holiness adherents.
According to Tenzin Doring, a member of the 17th TPiE who represents Australiasia stated that seeing and discovering the title used on the menu is not just selfish, but also disrespectful. He was enraged and shocked as most Tibetans were. He immediately emailed the owner about the problem and is waiting for a response.
As per their website, the food menu is owned and maintained by Griffin Burger, which is located at 20 Armstrong Street North, Ballarat Central, Victoria.
“For the millions of Buddhists and Tibetans, the ‘Dalai Lama’ is referred with His Holiness’ that deserves more than a food-name in your menu,” Doring stated in the email. “We request for the earliest replacement of the title ‘Dalai Lama’ from your restaurant’s menu to avoid further intensification of discontentment amongst the followers of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in and around the country. Moreover, we request you to be mindful, selfless, and compassionate to understand cultural, religious, and spiritual sensitivities of diverse people and faith before initiating any undertaking”
The Tibet Office in Canberra intends to file a complaint with the owner, while the local Tibetan community organization, Tibetan Community of Victoria, and others are planning to file similar complaints via email and phone calls.
Leave a Reply