Contact: Jane Rasch
Tashi Lhunpo Monastery UK Trust
Mobile: 0044-(0)7973 618 285
Email: janer@heale.demon.co.uk
Eight monks from Tashi Lhunpo Monastery celebrated the anniversary of His Holiness the 11th Panchen Lama’s 17th birthday on Tuesday 25th April in London at the Asia House, where they are currently creating sand mandala. A procession of monks carried the photograph of His Holiness the Panchen Lama to the throne.
The Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama from the Office of Tibet, Mrs Kesang Y. Takla, lit the butter lamp, and offered a khatag, followed by members of the Tibetan community and other friends and supporters of the monastery. Prayers were offered for the Long Life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and His Holiness the Panchen Lama. The Tashi Lhunpo Monastery’s Statement about the Panchen Lama was read.
The monks concluded the celebration with a performance of ‘Shanak’ – The Black Hat Dance.
The monks then joined the candlelight vigil outside the Chinese Embassy in Portland Place organised by Tibetan Youth UK and Students for Free Tibet (UK). This was to participate in the world-wide events marking the concern over the well-being of the Panchen Lama, offering a Long Life Prayer and joining with the requests for his release from detention. The demonstration in London complemented Tashi Lhunpo Monastery’s candlelight vigil in Dharamsala, headquarters of HH the Dalai Lama’s government in exile, which was attended by over a thousand people, and the day was also marked by special prayers and a vigil in the monastery near Mysore in South India.
The monks’ visit to Asia House, 63 New Cavendish Street, London W1, between 24th and 29th April is part of a two-month cultural tour organised by the Tashi Lhunpo Monastery UK Trust, during which they have visited Spain, Latvia and Italy and given performances of the masked dances and sacred chant from the monastery in various venues in the UK. They will be returning to Europe in August 2006 for three months, when they will be working in London at the Buddhist Society and giving a performance in the Purcell Room on London’s South Bank on 6th December. For more information about the tour, please see the monastery’s website at www.tashi-lhunpo.org.uk
TASHI LHUNPO MONASTERY, BYLAKUPPE, SOUTH INDIA
Tel: 0091 8223 254282
E-mail: ctloffice@vsnl.net
TASHI LHUNPO MONASTERY UK TRUST
Telephone: 0044(0) 7973 618 285
Email: info@tashi-lhunpo.org.uk
