Ground report | Dalai Lama’s presence in Bylakuppe fuels exiled Tibetans’ longing for homeland

The Dalai Lama, who was dragged into a controversy last week by US billionaire Elon Musk for an old interview the spiritual leader had given airing his views on “uncontrolled” immigration, is visiting Bylakuppe after a gap of seven years. While he is here, the highly popular leader is granting a rare audience to octogenarian Tibetans, above the age of 80 years, and the differently abled and mentally depressed living in the Tibetan settlements in the south.

Thinley, who was just 12 years old when he accompanied the Dalai Lama, when the latter fled to India in 1959 from Tibet, still clings to the hope that His Holiness will also take him back to his “homeland”.

“I was born in Tibet and I miss my home. I want to go back though I am grateful to India for giving us a home. When we arrived in India, there was only the sky above and the land below and initially, we struggled to make a home here in India. When we started living here it was just wild forest land,” this former farmer told The Federal through an interpreter.

The Tibetans were initially given 3,504 acres of forest land by the Mysore government in 1961 by the then Chief Minister S Nijalingappa, for their rehabilitation and resettlement, on which they had to cultivate and also build their homes, schools, hospitals and monasteries.

Today, there are more than 70,000 Tibetan refugees living in India for the past six decades in ten states and two Union Territories. In Karnataka alone, they are located in five settlements spread over nearly 15,000 acres.

Thinley is unwilling to let go of his hope of returning to Tibet one day. “We depend on the Dalai Lama to take us back home,” he said. A wish echoed by 33-year-old Tsering Palden, manager of an Old Age Home in Bylakuppe.

Born and brought up in India, he also dreams of returning to Tibet and make a life for himself before it is too late. “Time is a powerful thing, nothing lasts forever. The situation will change, our time will come too, everything depends on the Dalai Lama. Meanwhile, we are doing our work here, cultivating our fields, and I look after this old age home where 36 octogenarians live,” shared this young Tibetan, who has never set foot in his homeland.

This old age home runs on donations, which are also given by prosperous Tibetans, who have left India and migrated abroad seeking better opportunities. Palden, has a Registration Certificate, which allows him to live in India and an identity card (IC) that serves as a passport to travel outside India but significantly, not many young Tibetans have sought Indian citizenship.

Gelek Jungney, who is in-charge of the affairs of the Lugsung Samdupling Tibetan settlement, Bylakuppe admitted in a chat with The Federal that the younger generation in Bylakuppe have been migrating in large numbers to Canada, Australia, America, and Europe. In fact, the number of exiled Tibetans has come down in Bylakuppe in the recent past. “They don’t get government jobs in India and they look for better opportunities in the west,” explained Jungney, whose entire family has moved abroad. However, he continues to live in India because his mother-in-law refuses to leave the country.

“She wants to die here and we have to respect that,” he said. The older generation clearly seem unwilling to leave Indian shores, which they consider ‘home’ after Tibet.

Also read: 'Deeply saddened': Dalai Lama on devastating earthquake in Tibet

Bylakuppe comes alive

There is a palpable sense of excitement in the air in Bylakuppe, which currently houses 12,500 Tibetans, including monks, who study and live in the seven monasteries located in the area. This is largely because of the Dalai Lama’s presence in the settlement, who landed in Bylakuppe in the first week of January. Heavy security has been deployed around the imposing Tashi Lhunpo monastery where is currently staying. A posse of 300 policemen have been posted at the monastery and outsiders cannot just walk into the monastery.

This monastery, however, opens its doors to the public everyday between 2.30 pm to 5.30 pm, to allow devotees to participate in the Buddhist ritual of circumambulation. They will walk in a clockwise circle around the monastery to show devotion, pay tribute and accumulate merit.

Rare opportunity

The Dalai Lama, who is accompanied by his physiotherapists is largely spending his time resting. exercising and going for walks. However, he takes time out to meet and bless elderly Tibetans living in the south settlements for an hour thrice a week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Tenzin Dorjee Rinpoche, a 37-year-old monk residing in the Tashi Lhunpo monastery, was identified as a reincarnation of Palden Sengye Rinpoche, when he was 12 years old. Calling it a “rare and precious opportunity” to see and interact with the Dalai Lama during his visit to Bylakuppe now, Dorjee Rinpoche told The Federal,” I cannot express my joy and what I feel. The last time the Dalai Lama was here was in 2017, he was very healthy and delivered a lot of lectures. But now, he is ageing and we are worried about his health after his surgery. But, thankfully, we hear that his health seems to be improving."

Who will be the next Dalai Lama?

A question that dominates the minds of many exiled Tibetans is who will be the Dalai Lama's successor. Jigme Tsultrim, chief representative, Central Tibetan Administration (CAB) or the Tibetan government in exile told The Federal in Bylakuppe that the official stand from CAB is clear.

Also read: Talks on Tibet only with Dalai Lama's representatives, no autonomy: China

“China should respect the authority of the Dalai Lama. For many reasons, his legacy has been undermined by the China government, they are claiming that China will have to approve the 15th Dalal Lama. But, the strange part is that they do not bother about the current living Dalai Lama, so what is the logic behind choosing the 15th one? It shows how childish and immature they are and how they misguide the people of Tibet. However, people in Tibet are still very much committed to the Dalai Lama despite his six-decade long absence. They live in an offensive situation but they have a deep-rooted and strong allegiance to the Dalai Lama.”

The final word will come from the Dalai Lama, he added. “Though, according to his visions he has publicly declared that he will live till he is 110 years,” pointed out Tsultrim, who is the spokesperson for the Tibetan settlements in south India. In 2023, the Chinese government had said "all reincarnated Tibetan living Buddhas, including Dalai Lamas and Panchen Rinpoches, must be looked for within the country, decided through the practice of lot-drawing from the golden urn, and receive approval from the central government".

Dorjee Rinpoche, who felt this is a “worrying” issue, is also confident that the Dalai Lama will give instructions on what is to be done before he passes. However, he is concerned that China should not take over the decision of naming the next Dalai Lama like they did with the Panchen Lama, the second highest spiritual authority.

The title Panchen or Great Scholar was traditionally given to head abbots of the Tashil Lhunpo Monastery, who were chosen for their maturity and learning. Back in 1995, the Dalai Lama had recognised six-year-old Gedhun Choekyi Nyima as the 11th Panchen Lama, but this choice was rejected by the Chinese government, which took the boy into custody. The Chinese government appointed Gyancain Norbu the 11th Panchen Lama in late 1995.

“Where is the Panchem Lama recognised by the Dalai Lama? We still don't where he is. We don’t want China to name the 15th Dalai Lama,” firmly asserted Tenzing Dorjee. But, he quickly added that he hoped that the current Dalai Lama will live for a long time and the Tibetan issue will be resolved by then.

According to Tibetan poet Tendon Tsundue, this question has to be asked of India. “What is India going to do? The Dalai Lama is a global and important figure but if China decides to fill up the position of the Dalai Lama, will India keep silent? What answer will India then give to the people in the Himalayan regions like Ladakh, Arunachal Pradesh, etc., as they are all followers of the Dalai Lama? New Delhi is going to have to answer to the people in the Himalayan region,” he said.

Tsundue strongly criticised the fact that people in India support the Palestine issue but completely ignore the plight of their neighbouring country Tibet. “Indians are very ill-informed about the Tibetans who have been sitting in their backyard for over 60 years,” said Tsundue.

Also read: Dalai Lama's successor needs our nod, says China; projects Tibet as gateway to South Asia

The US stand on Tibet

Last year, the US government passed a law that supported the Tibetan cause. The legislation called for Beijing’s re-engagement with Tibet’s spiritual leader Dalai Lama to address the concerns of Tibetans and also authorised the use of funds to counter China’s disinformation campaign on issues related to Tibet. In his conversation, Tsultrim pointed out that the US Senate and Congress truly supports the aspirations of Tibetan people and wants China to come to the negotiating table for a dialogue.

Though, USA will put its own interests first, we hope America will take care of the concerns of the Tibetans, said Tsultrim, to a question on the stand the United States will take on the Tibetan cause, after Donald Trump takes over as the President.

Changing dynamics of India-China relationship

Further, on the changing dynamics in the India-China relationship, Tsultrim pointed out that though India also needs to take care of its interests, the Indian government, agencies and stakeholders have to be equally aware of China’s behaviour in the past in 1962. “Our Tibet Support Groups are working hard to promote awareness about the Tibetan issue and we remain hopeful that we will see the Holiness, the Dalai Lama in Tibet,” he said.

Tibet continues to be a "sensitive" issue for India since it has long-pending border disputes with China, which tend to flare up periodically. India had welcomed the Dalai Lama and 80,000 Tibetan refugees who followed him with open arms in 1959, after a failed uprising against China. While India has historically backed the Tibetan cause, New Delhi’s official position since Jawaharlal Nehru’s time has been to accept Tibet as part of China. Meanwhile, Tibetans have been keeping their rebellion against China alive with an unending spate of unfortunate self-immolations, public and individual protests.

China, however, is wary of Tibetan refugees from India returning to Tibet and also imposes restrictions on any kind of interactions with their relatives in Tibet.

Far from home

Tenzin Dorjee Rinpoche was brought to India when he was four-years-old by his family. After being identified as the reincarnation of the Palden Sengye Rinpoche by the Dalai Lama, he is now not allowed to set foot in Tibet.

His parents also don't want him in Tibet since he is branded as a “terrorist” by the Chinese authorities. He is cut off from his family, including his mother, and grapples with his longing to meet them. Most of the older generation in Bylakuppe miss Tibet and their family they have left behind. Earlier, they used to talk with them on WeChat but after India banned this app, they have lost all contact with their relatives in Tibet, explained Paltem, the old age home manager.

For the Tibetan residents in Bylakuppe, living far from their homeland but grateful for India’s “grace”, the Dalai Lama is their “everything”. As 82-year-old Ganchen, who got the opportunity to meet the Dalai Lama — whom she calls her “sunshine” — two days ago, simply said, “If we don’t have him, we don’t exist.”