Cold Desert witness first snowfall of season
Leh, Aug 26: After a six-week stay in Ladakh, Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama’s departure from Leh on Tuesday was delayed owing to bad weather and he will now leave after two days, officials said.
The Dalai Lama arrived in Leh on July 12, and was scheduled to depart from Ladakh on Tuesday but his flight could not depart due to adverse weather conditions, according to officials.
“Several flights to and from the Leh Airport have been cancelled due to inclement weather. As a result, the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader, will stay in Leh a bit longer,” officials said.
“He was scheduled to return to his residence in Dharamshala at the end of his one-and-a-half-month tour of Ladakh,” they added.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama is scheduled to attend a Long Life Prayer offered to him by the Lhokha Cultural & Welfare Association, Namgyal Institute Ithaca and Young Tibetans from Across the World on September 10 at the Main Tibetan Temple, Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh.
The high altitude areas of Ladakh, including the 18,379-feet-high Khardung La pass – the second highest motorable pass in the world – witnessed the season’s first snowfall as moderate rain lashed the plains in the Union Territory, officials said on Tuesday.
Most mountain passes have received light to moderate snowfall over the past 24 hours. This includes the Khardung La top, which serves as the gateway to the Shyok and Nubra valleys, the 17,950-foot high Changla Top along the Leh-Pangong Lake road, and areas in the Zanskar Valley, officials mentioned.
They further noted that the Leh and Kargil district headquarters, along with other subdivisions, experienced rainfall; however, there were no reports of any damage.
Additionally, the weatherman has issued a red weather warning for Ladakh, predicting heavy rain at many places, light to moderate rain on Tuesday with heavy showers at isolated locations, followed by dry weather from August 27 to 30.
Authorities have cautioned against possible damage to old mud structure houses, water seepage, traffic disruption over passes, snowfall on higher reaches, and localised landslides or mudslides. The public has been advised to stay alert and follow official advisories.
His Holiness has blessed the people of Ladakh during his six-weeks stay in the union territory. The Nobel Peace Laureate was invited to a lunch on Sunday in his honour at Abi-Spang Spituk here by the Ladakh Buddhist Association and the Ladakh Gonpa Association.
Despite the untimely rain His Holiness reached the venue where he was welcomed by Ladakh Gonpa Association President Dorjay Stanzin. He paid homage to His Holiness and thanked him for his kindness to the people of Ladakh over many years.
In a letter to the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council chairman Tashi Gyalson and his colleagues, the spiritual leader expressed gratitude for the warm hospitality extended to him during his stay in Ladakh.
In his message, he commended the region’s progress, particularly in the fields of economy and education, and acknowledged the deep faith and devotion of the people of Ladakh.
His Holiness also conveyed his appreciation to the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council for its support to Tibetan refugees, especially through the provision of new basic facilities and services under the Union Territory’s welfare programs in recent years.
Addressing the congregation at Abi-Spang Spituk in Leh, the Dalai Lama said, “Here I am in Ladakh, bordering on Tibet. As I’ve said, Tibetans have a strong sense of being one people. This is not a political statement. Since the time of Songtsen Gampo there were great Tibetan translators who translated Indian religion and culture into Tibetan. They gave us the translations of the words of the Buddha, the Kangyur, and translations of commentarial treatises, the Tengyur. These contain the teachings of the Buddha.
“From the eastern part of Tibet, on the border with China, right up to Ladakh, we have the same language, culture and religion. It’s not that we are attached to these aspects of our tradition, but this culture we uphold is derived from the teachings contained in the Kangyur and Tengyur. These are what we have preserved and continue to study and practise.”
On early morning of July 12, His Holiness flew by an Indian Air Force (IAF) C-130J transport aircraft directly from Dharamsala to Leh. At Shewatsel Phodrang in Leh, His Holiness was greeted by monks and nuns chanting and playing horns, drums and cymbals.
At the door to the palace, groups of traditional Ladakhi drummers beat out a welcome.
President Petr Pavel of the Czech Republic also met with the Dalai Lama in Leh. During the meeting, President Paul extended his warm congratulations to His Holiness on the occasion of his 90th birthday.
