Thursday marked the beginning of the a one-of-a-kind “Thank You India” festival in New Delhi. The event is being held at the India International Centre through March 31, 2009. The festival, organized by Tibet’s Government in exile expresses the gratitude of the Tibetan people for the “generosity and hospitality” of India.
“Thank You India” is part of a series of events being held to mark the fifty years of exile for the Tibetan government. In 1959 the Chinese forced His Holiness the Dalai Lama as well as thousands of Tibetans into exile. Many of them fled to India where they were able to find homes and support for their spiritual and political cause.
The festival will also recognize the “dedication and hard work” of Tibetan refugees “in making wonderful strides in the fields of education, cultural preservation, and community-building and in preserving the basic identity of the Tibetan people…”
Cultural exhibitions will be a key part of the festival, including metal sculpture, wood carving, thangka paintings, and traditional weaving of aprons and carpet. Ancient Tibetan literature will be on display and a number of documentaries and films will be screened. There will also be a lecture series on the culture and environment of Tibet as well as on Tibetan Buddhism.
Those traveling to the event will find a number of five star hotels in New Delhi as well as a variety of lodging options. Delhi is home to a number of important spiritual sites, including Tibet House, the Lotus Temple, and the Akshardham Temple. The Rajghat Memorial of Mahatma Gandhi is another important pilgrimage site.
The festival was opened on March 26th by the Prime Minister of Tibet’s Government in exile. It will be closed by His Holiness the Dalai Lama on Tuesday, March 31st.
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