What to expect from the Dalai Lama's visit to Leh

After a gap of four years, Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama will visit Ladakh from 15 July , marking his first official tour outside his base in Dharamshala since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This visit is also taking place just three days before the 16th round of Corps Commander-level meetings between India and China, which according to sources is expected to start on 17 July.

What to expect from the Dalai Lama’s trip?

Since China has always objected to the Tibetan spiritual leader’s visits to the region, the security has been tightened ahead of his trip to Leh.

According to a report by The Indian Express, which cited a source in his office in Dharamshala, said that the spiritual leader will stay for about a month at Choglamsar village on the bank of the Indus river.

During his tour, the Dalai Lama is expected to visit the famous Thiksey monastery in Leh.

According to a report by The Tribune, the Dalai Lama will remain in seven-day isolation after reaching Leh and will deliver sermons afterwards.

“A lot of people and organisations are requesting a meeting with the Dalai Lama. But we are taking each and every precaution,” President of Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA) Thupstan Chhewang said, as quoted by the newspaper.

As per The Indian Express, he will impart teachings, known as summer teachings in Leh, to Buddhists as well as people from other communities.

The Dalai Lama and China

Beijing has always had an issue with the Dalai Lama since he took shelter in India. In the 1950s, when China illegally occupied Tibet, the Tibetan Spiritual leader had to take shelter in India. The Dalai Lama tried to advocate for a mid-way negotiation with China to peacefully resolve the issue of Tibet.

The Tibetan spiritual leader’s trip is likely to irk China as Beijing had recently criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for extending wishes to the Dalai Lama who recently celebrated his 87th birthday, stating that India should stop using Tibet-related issues to interfere in China’s internal affairs.

Conveyed 87th birthday greetings to His Holiness the @DalaiLama over phone earlier today. We pray for his long life and good health.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 6, 2022

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a media briefing in Beijing on 7 July that “the Indian side should fully recognise the anti-China separatist nature of the 14th Dalai Lama”.

He said that India should abide by its “commitment to China, speak and act prudently and stop using Tibet-related issues to interfere in China’s internal affairs.”

The External Affairs Ministry had slammed China’s criticism and said that it has been a consistent policy of the government to treat the Dalai Lama as a guest in India. After arriving in Jammu on Thursday, the Dalai Lama spoke to the media about China and the ideology Chinese people hold.

The Dalai Lama Thursday said he has been trying to protect Buddhist culture and that most people in China have realised that he is not seeking independence within the People’s Republic of China and want preservation of meaningful autonomy and independent Buddhist culture.

“Some Chinese hardliners consider me separatist and reactionary, so they always criticise me. But now more and more Chinese have realised the Dalai Lama is not seeking independence, but within the People’s Republic of China, meaningful autonomy and Tibetan Buddhist culture preserve,” the Dalai Lama told reporters in the Union Territory of Jammu. With inputs from agencies

Read all the Latest News , Trending News ,  Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram .