INDIA: Aged Tibetans Celebrate New Year Day

BYLAKUPPE, Karnataka (phayul.com), February 24, 2007:

Only 80 km from Mysore city and 30 km from Coorg, in the Periyapatna district of Karnataka state, is the Tibetan settlement of Bylakuppe. Bylakuppe actually consists of two Tibetan settlements, the original - and larger of the two - Lugsung Samdupling and smaller one called Dickey Larsoe.

For every Tibetan, Losar – the Tibetan New Year is a day of celebration and gathering of family and friends. Parents would wait eagerly for their children who are far away, to come home and spend time with them during Losar.

For the first time this year the Home for Aged and Disabled Tibetans organised Losar celebrations, said Mr. Tenzin Dhundup, Manager. “The youth of today are changing and are becoming active in social works like never before which is very heartening and inspiring” he added. Students entertained the old people with their live performances.

Thupten rocked the stage with Amdo Songs while Chodak and Samten backed him up with their ‘Dra-nyen’ (Tibetan Lute) skills. Tsering Phuntsok Lak took everyone on a musical pilgrimage with his flute and Yangchen regaled the audience with her melodious voice. Thupten and Sonam concluded the show with the Tibetan’s all-time favorite ‘Chang-shay’.

The Old Age group did not step back either. An energetic 75-year old Popo Tsering Phuntsok performed ‘drekar’ and the traditional Tibetan peacock-dance. Momo Kyizom astonished everyone with her high pitched melodious voice.

“I have never enjoyed Losar so much like today” one of the old women was heard saying.

Before lunch everybody gathered outside for GOR-SHAY, a traditional Tibetan group dance. Some could not join because of physical disabilities but participated by singing and cracking jokes.

“We thought it’s better to celebrate our Losar here with the old people so that we can bring a little joy in their lives but we never thought it would be so much fun” said Ms. Yangchen Dolkar and Ms. Tenzin Wangmo who traveled from Bangalore to organize the event. The organizing team donated 60 pillows and two wheel chairs, bought with funds from friends and family.
“Old people here put bed-sheets, jackets and other pieces of cloth below their pillow because older people need higher headrest and the pillow they have is not big or high enough. So we thought we should buy them a bigger and a softer pillow and add a little comfort in their lives,” explained an official.

http://www.phayul.com/