Dharamsala, March 10 – The Dharamsala chapter of Students for a Free Tibet (SFT) marked the 46th anniversary of National Tibetan Uprising Day by organising a Free Tibet concert punctuated by documentary film screenings at the hall of Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts.
Many young Tibetan band and individuals took to the stage to perform patriotically charged songs. The Tibetan folk singer, Techung, JJI Exile Brothers, Dharma Bums and some solo performances filled up the evening concert at TIPA. The tibetan “folk and freedom singer” techung had the crowd singing along with him when ever he appeared on stage. Phil Void of Dharma Bums, probably the first foreigner to sing for the Tibet cause created quite a stir with his song “Rangzen”, which had been translated into many other languages. Dharma Bums are probably one of the earliest supporters of the Tibetan cause with their affiliation to the Tibetans going back to the late 1970s. The “Rangzen”song composed by Dharma Bums by was pretty popular during that time with small school kids humming it. However, it was a different scene altogether when Phil Void made his appearance onstage:back in Dharamsala after some two decades.Though independence is uttered in whispers these days,Phil said he won’t stop playing his song “Ranzen”.
Interestingly, the Dharamsala SFT made it clear in no uncertain terms in their press release that they are not holding the concert to support independence or genuine autonomy but to remind the Tibetans of the selfless sacrifices made by the brave martyrs of Tibet.
