For the 8th Wellbeing Camp at Sylviander House, which takes place here since 1 year, there is a special program:
The Tibet Museum, Dharamshala in association with Friends of Tibet will start the travelling exhibition titled »A Long Look Homeward« from CSPA, Sylviander House, Alappuzha.
Friendsoftibet founder Sethu Das and campaigner Eswar Anandan arrive a day before with Kunga Phuntsok from Tibet Museum, Dharamshala. As always, they bring organic rice and organic vegetables for our meals, which will be cooked by Lilama.
Until evening they are busy with the preparation for the exhibition »A Long Look Homeward«. The radio of the Dalai Lama as part of the exhibition is carefully protected by our catgirl Moojoo.
Early morning on March 3, the tibetan team reaches at Sylviander House picked up from the railway station of Alappuzha by 2 auto rikshaws organized by our rikshaw driver Elias.
Punctually at 9 am we start with the opening of the exhibition »A Long Look Homeward« …
… as usually I welcome the guests …
Then Dr. Dorjee Rapten speaks about the tibean issue …
Only few days before the 16 year tibetan school boy Dorjee Tsering immolated himself and is still in critical condition at an indian hospital – for his recovery we stand in silence for one minute.
Later we will get to know, that he has died. This exhibition is dedicated to him.
A patient of the Wellbeing Camp shares a touching report of his journey to Tibet, when he traveled to the Kailash …
Traditionally we will light the tibetan butter lamps, starting with Dr. Dorjee …
Finally Eswar Anandan recites one of his poems »Flames of truth«, which he wrote a year before inspired by the self immolation of a 20 year young tibetan woman …
Flames of truth
All over me
Burning my flesh
Rangzen in my lips
Charred, minute by minute
I see them, the hundreds
I am not alone
I will not be the last
Rangzen in the air
Chanted by the hundreds
Slowly I am welcomed
Joining the hundreds
I was a 20 year old
Hoping one day
We will be free...
Just minutes before
I was a daughter
To my loving parents
For whom I was life...
There I lie
My body in flames
Seized within moments
By the dragon squad
My parents detained
To where, no one knows
Reality silenced
News filtered...
Hundreds before
I am not alone
Nor the last
Flames of truth
Cannot be silenced...
(Dedicated to 20 year old Tsephel, who self-immolated on 22 Dec 2014)
The exhibition »A Long Look Homeward« is inaugurated …
Now we have tea with tiffins made and brought by our brother in law Varghese from his nearby tea shop, assisted by our rikshaw driver Elias …
Before the Medical Camp will start, we have to take some photographs of the tibetan team with the exhibition …
Also the press has come …
The team from Men-Tsee-Khang, the Tibetan Medical Centre at Bangalore:
Dr. Dorjee Rapten Neshar
Dr. Tamdin Sangmo
Sonam Wangmo
Yeshi Chodon
Tenzin Dhonden …
… and Kunga Phuntsok from Tibet Museum, Dharamshala.
When ever Sethu finds time during the 3 days Medical Camp, he will be engaged with harvesting his favorite cashew manga in front of the Sylviander House …
And of course, nobody misses the pleasure to eat some of the juicy fruits of the cashew nut tree …
… 3 days joy between sad stories and sad news … life goes on … we are its joyful servants …
Online Registration: www.friendsoftibet.org/wellbeing/ SMS: +91.9400354354
Fax: +91.11.47615142 Email: wellbeing@friendsoftibet.org
