Dharamshala, December 8 – A Buddhist sect has launched a Monastic Institute in Dharamshala town for the preservation and promotion of their culture.
The foundation ceremony of the Dorzong Monastic Institute, launched by the Drupka Kagyu sect, was performed by Himachal Pradesh chief minister, Virbhadra Singh.
Thousands of monks, nuns and school children attended the day-long ceremony.
Tenzing Phulchung, the project incharge of the institute, said it would provide learning facilities to students from far-flung places.
“The establishment of this institute is fundamentally aimed for the preservation and promotion of the Buddhist religion in general and the rich heritage of Drupka tradition in particular. And this establishment will provide learning and practice for facilities for inter-state students from Himalayan border areas like Lahaul-Spiti, Ladakh and Kinnaur,” he said.
Phulchung said complete education which includes meditation, composing and debating, will be taught at the institute.
The original 400-year-old Dorzong Monastic Institute in Tibet was destroyed by the Chinese government after the Communist revolution.
Its replica in Dharamshala would be the first Tibetan heritage school outside Tibet.
Beijing imposed Communist rule after its troops entered Tibet in 1950.
Tibetans-in-exile have been running a government in Dharamshala since their spiritual leader the Dalai Lama fled in 1959 following a failed uprising against Chinese rule.
