Transforming the lives of the people from across the world is ‘Tibet World’, a seat of learning tucked away in busy Mcleod Ganj at Dharamshala in Kangra district, Tibet World is also a place, ‘where the world meets Tibet and Tibet meets the world’, giving people insight into the true meaning of life.
Providing a window to the Tibetan world, it is a platform for raising cultural awareness and imparting Tibetan values by inspiring people to initiate compassion, harmony and peace.
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Still in its nascent stage, its genesis took flight on 17 February 2013, when the founder and director Yeshi Lhundup came up with the idea to sustain the sanctity of Mcleod Ganj, known as the abode of Tibetan spiritual head, the Dalai Lama, who has made it his second home. The area, of late, has become more of a business centre with mushrooming of hotels and shops.
“Due to Dalai Lama, Mcleod Ganj is a main source of compassion for the world, since he has been staying here for more than half a century. We needed to preserve the essence of the place. The Tibet World has a vision to emerge as a role model of compassionate organisation committed to developing inner peace, self-reliance and building a more harmonious world,” said Yashi.
Upholding wisdom as the path of happiness, Yeshi maintains that compassion plus wisdom is equal to happiness and unfolding of this can help achieve everlasting happiness in life, without following the worldly ways and turning temporary happiness into an unending one.
Run by Tibetan World Charitable Trust, the institute is a window to the world aiming at educating local Tibetans and Indians, as well as foreigners by teaching students international languages such as French, German, Chinese and English other than Tibetan at a very nominal fee.
The institute also inspires Tibetan refugees to have a voice in the world by hosting educational, cultural and philosophical programmes.
Cultural shows are organised to engage people to the fullest to understand Tibetan culture and have good memories to take back home, Yashi said.
The institute has provided education to over 3000 students and over 1500 international volunteers who have participated from 50 countries and organised hundreds of cultural events under various categories to showcase Tibetan culture, he said.
On a visit to Tibetan World to learn about Dharamshala, Daniel Singer, a professor from University of Denver, USA, said, “Yeshi and the institute he is running has helped us understand some of the richness and the power of Tibetan culture. It has helped in giving us exposure to the Tibetan community.”
Yeshi said it is not that only foreigners have shown interest to know more about Tibet, the institute also has Indian regulars as visitors, students and volunteers.
“We intend to expand the institute for which we have already started Tibet World campaign, for fundraising, which will in turn help invest Tibet’s future and give them a voice,” he said.
