Tibetan Spiritual Leader Dalai Lama arrives in Sikkim on 3-day visit

Gangtok: Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama has arrived in Sikkim on a three-day visit to the Himalayan state.

The 14th Dalai reached Sikkim on Monday (December 11) and landed at the Libing Helipad in Gangtok.
Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang Golay welcomed him.

“It is a great honor and a deep honor that I extend a warm welcome to the 14th Dalai Lama at Libing Helipad, Gangtok,” Sikkim Chief Minister PS Tamang Golay said.
The Sikkim Chief Minister added: “The presence of His Holiness brings the bright light of wisdom, compassion and peace to our land, enriching our hearts and minds with his profound teachings and exemplary guidance.”
“May His Holiness’ visit enlighten our spirits and inspire us all to greater kindness, understanding and harmony,” he added.
Tamang said, “We welcome, Your Holiness, to the blessed land of Sikkim.

He was also accorded a grand reception by monks from various monasteries in the state with a traditional Buddhist ritual of dance and prayer known as ‘Sherbang’.

Some members of the exiled Tibetan Parliament, Tibetan Settlement Office and Local Tibetan Assembly were also present to greet him.

The 87-year-old Dalai Lama went to a hotel in Gangtok and hundreds of people queued up on both sides of the highway from Deorali to Zero Point to get a glimpse of the spiritual leader.

Dalai Lama had last visited Sikkim in 2010.

He is scheduled to stay in Gangtok till Thursday morning when he will leave for Salugara in Siliguri, West Bengal.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama will be giving one-day teaching on Gyalsey Thokme Sangpo’s 37 Practices of a Boddhisattava (Laklen Sodunma) on Monday morning at Paljor Stadium in Gangtok and will also be virtually laying the foundation stones of Karmapa Park project at Rumtek.