Karmapa visits Leh, consoles cloudburst victims
April 28th, 2011 - 12:22 am ICT by IANSDharamsala, April 27 (IANS) The 17th Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, was moved when he visited families of the victims of last year’s natural disaster in Leh in Jammu and Kashmir, an official said here Wednesday.
“His Holiness Wednesday concluded his three-day visit to areas affected by the cloudburst where he offered prayers for those who lost their lives in the cloudburst and offered his sympathies and condolences to their families,” Karmapa’s office spokesperson Deki Chungyalpa told IANS.
He also visited monasteries to deliver discourses and attend religious functions.
Chungyalpa said the Karmapa visited several flood-hit areas and he performed special blessing ceremonies.
He visited Manetsalding, the main town area that was one of the worst affected areas, and Saboo.
“His Holiness visited Phyang and went up to the mountain area, which is reportedly where the cloudburst water started accumulating,” she said.
A cloudburst occurred at Choglamsar village in Leh town Aug 6, 2010 causing flashfloods and mud slides that washed away government offices, paramilitary camps and residential homes.
At least 183 people, including 35 army men, were killed in the natural disaster.
A month after the disaster, spirtual leader the Dalai Lama also visited the areas and met the affected people.
Ever since the Karmapa escaped to India in January 2000 with a few close aides from the Tsurphu monastery near Lhasa, the government of India has restricted his movements.
He is allowed to move freely within a 10-12 km radius of his monastery. Beyond that, he has to take police permission.
In the Tibetan religious hierarchy, the Karmapa is considered the third most important Tibetan religious head after the Dalai Lama and Panchen Lama.
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Tags: 17th karmapa, army men, blessing ceremonies, cloudburst, dalai lama, deki, discourses, dorje, flashfloods, government of india, government offices, jammu and kashmir, monasteries, mud slides, natural disaster, panchen lama, religious functions, religious head, religious hierarchy, tsurphu monastery