Tibetans say ‘Thank You India’ for shelter and livelihood
DALTONGANJ: The members of Tibetan community in Jharkhand’s Palamu district celebrated Thank You India Day on Monday.
They held a programme at a shelter house for physicallychallenged children in Daltonganj to publicly express gratitude towards Indian government and the people of this country for granting shelter when the Tibetans were forced to leave their homeland 60 years ago.
Filling the air with chants of Jai Hind, the Tibetan men, women and children sang songs, danced and shared sweets with the disabled children. They also presented the children with woollen sweaters on this occasion.
It was March 29, 1959 when Dalai Lama along with his ministers and followers fled Tibet following Chinese invasion and entered India through Arunachal Pradesh to take shelter in India.
Tenzing Lode, a Tibetan refusee said, “India has been the second home for us since then. The Indian government not only gave us shelter but also allowed us to move places for doing business. The people of India have also helped us preserve our unique identity and promote cultural heritage.”
Tenzing and others are among the members of group of Tibetan community presently staying at Daltonganj. A couple of dozen Tibetan annually arrive here for selling woollen items and return to their permanent base near Dharmashala in Himachal Pradesh.
The Tibetan community members across the country have been observing this year as Thank You India 2018 to thank New Delhi and people of India after the Central Tibetan Administration prepared a calendar for yearlong activities that began with a peace march from Arunachal to the national capital in on March 17.