(SifyNews.com, 6/26/09)
Tibetans living in exile in Dharamshala, India celebrated the 24th birthday of Ogyen Trinley Dorje, the 17th Karmapa on Friday.
Born on June 26, 1985 in Kham region of eastern Tibet, Ogyen Trinley Dorje is heir to the Tibetan's spiritual leader the Dalai Lama. He is considered the third most important leader after the Dalai Lama, and his authority is recognized by both Beijing and the renowned 14th Dalai Lama.
Buddhist monks and nuns assembled at the Gyuto monastery in Dharamsala to pray for the well-being and long life of the Karmapa. However, this year, no singing and dancing program were organized because of the demise of Penor Rinpoche, head of the Nyingma sect, and also due to the mass killings of Tibetans in Tibet last year.
"It is because of the demise of the head of the Nyingma sect, Penor Rinpoche and so many Tibetans have lost their lives in Tibet, so they didn't perform any sort of cultural events and they don't have big ceremony. Just to mark the birthday celebration, we have this prayer and puja [i.e., devotional] ceremony only," said Tashi Wangchuk, a Tibetan youth. Followers of Karmpa from far-flung places also came to take part in the celebration. More>>
Born on June 26, 1985 in Kham region of eastern Tibet, Ogyen Trinley Dorje is heir to the Tibetan's spiritual leader the Dalai Lama. He is considered the third most important leader after the Dalai Lama, and his authority is recognized by both Beijing and the renowned 14th Dalai Lama.
Buddhist monks and nuns assembled at the Gyuto monastery in Dharamsala to pray for the well-being and long life of the Karmapa. However, this year, no singing and dancing program were organized because of the demise of Penor Rinpoche, head of the Nyingma sect, and also due to the mass killings of Tibetans in Tibet last year.
"It is because of the demise of the head of the Nyingma sect, Penor Rinpoche and so many Tibetans have lost their lives in Tibet, so they didn't perform any sort of cultural events and they don't have big ceremony. Just to mark the birthday celebration, we have this prayer and puja [i.e., devotional] ceremony only," said Tashi Wangchuk, a Tibetan youth. Followers of Karmpa from far-flung places also came to take part in the celebration. More>>
