Friday 19 August 2016

Impressions of 51th Wellbeing Tibetan Medical Camp and exhibition »Indian Cartoonist on Tibet« July 13 – 15, 2016 at Centre for Social & Political Art (CSPA) at Sylviander House


For the 10th Wellbeing Camp at Sylviander House, again there is a special program: 
The exhibition »Indian Cartoonist on Tibet« 


Friends of Tibet, one of the principal organisers of ‘World Tibet Day’ worldwide, expects more than 40 countries to join the event with various events and related activities in July this year.  


In Alappuzha, Friends of Tibet organizes »Indian Cartoonists on Tibet«, an exhibition of selected cartoons on the Tibet issue (1950 - 2005) and the tumultuous Sino-Indian relations by renowned Indian cartoonists at the Centre for Social & Political Art, Sylviander House, Chettikad Beach Road, Alappuzha, Kerala. 


Some of the participating cartoonists are: Shankar, Ranga, OV Vijayan, RK Laxman, Mario Miranda, Rajinder Puri, Ravi Shankar, Prriya Raj, Yesudasan, Nanda Soobben, Abe Gowda, Kaak, Madhu Omalloor, Balu, Thommy, Ponnappa, Morparia and Prakash Shetty will also be on display. 


Introduction and text is by Claude Arpi, author of 'The Fate of Tibet' and 'India and Her Neighbourhood: A French Observer's Views'.


As usual, Friendsoftibet founder Sethu Das and campaigner Eswar Anandan arrive a day before the camp with organic rice and organic vegetables for our meals, which will be cooked by Lilama. 


In the evening they are busy with the preparation for the exhibition – as always: Eswar is working, Sethu and Alexander are giving good advices to him! 


Next early morning the tibetan team arrives from Bangalore, having a short rest and then breakfast. 


For the opening of 51st Wellbeing Tibetan Medical Camp with the exhibition »Indian Cartoonists on Tibet« the team from Men-Tsee-Khang, the Tibetan Medical Centre at Bangalore, performs a prayer for World Tibet Day … 


Dr. Dorjee Rapten Neshar, Dr. Tamdin Sangmo, Sonam Wangmo, Yeshi Chodon, Tenzin Dhonden. 


On July 6, 2016, the 81st birthday of His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama, spiritual leader of the Tibetan people will be observed as ‘World Tibet Day’ by Tibet Support Groups and Tibet supporters all over the world.


The video of the prayer is to find on Youtube: 


After the prayer the camp will start as usual, the doctors are ready in the two consulting rooms at the ground floor …


In the entrance room patients will register, such coming for the 1st time have to fill a form with their contact address and their physical complaints … 


Sethu and Eswar are coordinating the scedule and help with filling the forms … Alexander will support the patients with translation if needed …


Sonam Wangmo is the collector and writes the bills …


Yeshi Chodon and Tenzin Dhonden prepackage the medicines …


… for the bigger pills a tool for counting is used, but the very small pills have to be counted by hand … 


Often families consult the doctors with their sick children … 


… this time, a cute little boy being blind since birth is brought to Dr. Dorjee …


For a tea break, Varghese had a new idea for the tiffins!


New handmade paper bags arrived, decorated with a drawing from Alexander … 


… in these paper bags, the patients receive their medicines. 


Plastic bags are strictly avoided.


This time newly made cotton bags too are offered to the patients …


… made by Friends Of Tibet


Everybody can buy them for 50 Rs.


While the camp is going on, the waiting patients can see the exhibition … 







… and outside in front of the verandah the rains of the monsoon are creating fascinating formations …


Next Wellbeing Tibetan Medical Camp will be in September 2016. 

Online Registration: 
SMS: +91.9400354354 
Fax: +91.11.47615142 



Photographs by Sylvie Bantle