BENGALURU: The Tibetan spiritual leader the 14th Dalai Lama is arriving in Bengaluru on January 4 and will leave the next day for Bylakuppe in Mysuru district. Confirming his visit to Karnataka, the Chief Representative Officer (CRO), South Zone, Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) Jigme Tsultrim said that “His Holiness the Dalai Lama will be arriving in Bengaluru on January 4 and will stay for a day before leaving for Bylakuppe, where he is scheduled to stay for a month”.
The Dalai Lama last visited Karnataka in 2017. Bylakuppe is the second largest Tibetan settlement in the world after Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh, which is also the headquarters of the Tibetan-government-in-exile.
“Winters in Dharamsala are quite severe. His Holiness is coming to Karnataka for a month-long retreat to rest and recuperate. Subject to his health, he may conduct some teachings and grant some audience at the Tashi Lhunpo monastery in Bylakuppe,” said Tsultrim. The 89-year-old Tibetan spiritual leader had undergone knee transplant in the USA in June 2024 and returned to India in August.
There are five Tibetan settlements in Karnataka -- Lugsung Samdupling in Bylakuppe, which was built in 1961, Doeguling in Mundgod was set up in 1966, Dickey Larsoe in Bylakuppe came up in 1969, Hunsur Rabgayling was set up in 1972, and Kollegal Dhondenling came up in 1973. Presently, there are around 15,000 Tibetans-in-exile living in Bylakuppe.
“In the last two decades, the number of Tibetan settlers here has come down from 25,000 to 15,000. The sharp decline in population is because of strict vigilance on the India-Tibet border and close grip on the movement of Tibetans within Tibet by China. Of late, many young Tibetans have also migrated from India to Europe, US, Canada, Australia and other countries in search of better standards of living, education, opportunities etc. The shift seems to be from Sanskritisation to modernisation,” said Tsultrim. He added that the trend of overseas migration is not just restricted to Bylakuppe.”There are Tibetans moving overseas from other settlements in Karnataka as well.” he added.