Tsering Dhundup
DHARAMSHALA, Sep. 5: The Government of Sikkim has intensified its efforts, in consultation with the Central Government, to facilitate the long-awaited visit of His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, to his traditional seat in exile at Rumtek Monastery in Sikkim.
Sikkim’s Ecclesiastical (Dharma) Department Minister, Sonam Lama, told reporters on Thursday that the state is working closely with New Delhi to bring the Tibetan spiritual leader back to the Himalayan state. “We all know the 17th Karmapa is not in India, and I do not know where exactly he is outside India. Recently, I met Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju in New Delhi. The Home Minister has permitted me that if I can connect with His Holiness, I can visit him and request him to visit the state,” Lama said.
Lama added that once the Karmapa’s current location abroad is confirmed, he will personally lead a state delegation to extend a formal invitation. To support this initiative, the Sikkim government has constituted a dedicated committee under his chairmanship and allocated ₹1 crore this year, with provisions of up to ₹2 crore annually, to facilitate the process.
This renewed push follows the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Viksit Sikkim Sankalp Patra 2024 manifesto pledge to work with the Centre to ensure the Karmapa’s return to Rumtek.
The Karmapa, head of the 900-year-old Karma Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism, was born in Tibet in 1985 and recognised by the Dalai Lama as the reincarnation of the 16th Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje. He was enthroned at Tsurphu Monastery in Tibet before his dramatic escape to India at the end of 1999 and granted asylum in India in January 2000 as an “honoured guest”. He spent most of his time at Gyuto Monastery in Sidhbari near Dharamsala.
In 2017, the Karmapa left for the United States for medical treatment and later acquired citizenship of the Commonwealth of Dominica, which invalidated his Indian travel documents. Despite his appeals to Indian authorities for a resolution, no definitive decision has yet been made, preventing his return.
In a 2018 interview with Radio Free Asia, the Karmapa affirmed his commitment to return to India, saying, “I have no doubt or question that my return to India is absolutely certain.” He acknowledged earlier challenges, including restrictions on his travel and suspicions of being a “Chinese agent”, but noted progress in his relationship with the Indian government. “I wanted to clarify these things by having constructive talks with the Indian government, and we are going ahead with discussions now. If things turn out well, I am ready to return,” he said.
The Rumtek Monastery, one of Tibetan Buddhism’s most significant seats in exile, has long awaited the Karmapa’s return. Minister Sonam Lama expressed confidence that with continued cooperation between the Sikkim government and the Centre, the long-anticipated visit could soon become a reality.
