Celebration of H.H. the Dalai Lama’s birthday on 6th July 2010

It was a very colorful day for the children, teachers and parents of the Sun School for Kargyak. Children were wearing traditional Zanskari dress gonche. Everyone came to school with a handful of flowers. It was nice to see these flowers placed in front of the photo of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. A new blue-colored scarf was hung to highlight the photo. Long live the Dalai Lama – that was the wish of all who gathered for the event. In the morning, several monks from the Phugtal monastery came up the hill with the villagers of Kargyak and performed rituals to please the guardian spirits of Buddhist mythology and to pray for world peace and for a long and healthy life for the spiritual and political leader of the Tibetans, the Dalai Lama.

Then everyone gathered in a tiny play ground in front of the school. Traditional Zanskari drums were played by Tashi, one of the young teachers who comes originally from the village of Kargyak itself. Then juniper branches were burnt by the lamas and the celebration ground was purified. Butterlamps were lit in front of the photo of the spiritual leader of Tibet. Then the event started with the children’s performance of folk dances and songs.
It was raining, but villagers believe it to be a blessing of the heavens. Because of the rain, games for children took place indoors and children enjoyed them immensely, making lots of excited noise whenever somebody hit the targets or won a run-in-the-sack race. Then each class was transformed into a miniature cinema and pupils could enjoy cartoons and children’s movies. Villagers and lamas watched the famous film Twelve Years in Tibet, which they liked because they recognized the mountain scenes, the city of Lhasa and the early years of the life of His Holiness.
Later, by demand of the young generation, we played a popular Ladakhi movie for them, which was much fun as well. Tea and biscuits were served and gifts and sweets were distributed among the children. The chairman of the Gonba Ranjan Association, Mr. Stanzin Palgeth and the lamas of the Phugthar monastery brought lively local participation to the event. The event went for seven hours with excitement, fun, and happiness, starting at 9 am going until 4 pm.
May the Dalai Lama live a long and healthy life.

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