Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, May 12: Dugkar Dolma, the mother of the late Tulku Hungkar Dorje, passed away on May 6 at around 5 p.m. local time at her residence near Lungngon Monastery in Golog, Amdo, in eastern Tibet. She was 85, according to a report by the Dharamshala-based Tibetan news outlet Tibet Times.
A reliable Tibetan source told TT that Dugkar Dolma’s health significantly declined after her son, Tulku Hungkar Dorje, disappeared earlier this year and remained missing for nearly three months. Consumed by worry, she became gravely ill and was hospitalized in Xining, Qinghai Province, where she received medical treatment for over three months. After her condition failed to improve, she returned to her hometown, where she passed away shortly thereafter.
In the first month of this year, Rinpoche is said to have sent his mother a metaphorical message, describing his flight from Lungngon Monastery and his disciples with imagery of “hunters and wild animals.” He alluded to being forced into hiding but suggested efforts to locate him were still ongoing. His followers in exile are currently compiling this message and related documents for future public release.
Tulku Hungkar Dorje, a respected abbot and community leader, had been living in exile in Vietnam after years of reported harassment by Chinese authorities. His strained relationship with the Chinese state reportedly stemmed from his refusal to formally receive the Chinese-appointed Panchen Lama, Gyaltsen Norbu, during a visit to the Golog region in August last year. Additionally, he established several monasteries and schools for Tibetan nomadic children that operated independently of state mandates, which may have further contributed to official scrutiny.
On March 28, Rinpoche reportedly died under unclear circumstances at Vinmec Central Park International Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. He had earlier been detained in what sources describe as a joint operation between Vietnamese and Chinese authorities, with allegations that he was handed over to Chinese custody.
The circumstances surrounding his reported death remain unverified. Although five monastic representatives from Lungngon Monastery traveled to Vietnam to retrieve his body, they were only briefly allowed to view his face on April 10. Just ten days later, on April 20, his body was reportedly cremated around 1 a.m. local time without the consent of his family or monastery. The five monks were subsequently sent back to Tibet under pressure, with little opportunity to conduct religious rites or confirm the identity of the remains.
