GANGTOK: Tibetan spiritual leader the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, on Thursday imparted teachings to thousands of devotees at Gangtok’s Paljor Stadium. The Dalai Lama is on a four-day visit to the Himalayan state after a gap of 10 years. Devotees from across the world started gathering at the stadium since 2 am in biting cold. Large LED screens were put up on MG Marg and Chintan Bhavan for those who could not make it to the venue of the programme. The Dalai Lama imparted teachings on the ‘Thirty-seven practices of Bodhisattvas’, and a ceremony for generating ‘Bodhichitta’ (awakening of mind) for all sentient beings was also held. After delivering sermons, the Dalai Lama virtually laid the foundation of two state government projects, Karmapa Park at Rumtek and Gyalwa Lhatsun Chenpo statue at Simik, both in Gangtok district. Gangtok town has been shut for all traffic, barring essential services, and special shuttle buses ferried devotees from various points. All shops, barring eateries and restaurants, will remain closed till 1 pm. The Dalai Lama was received by Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya, Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang and Sikkim High Court Chief Justice Biswanath Somadder at the stadium. A cultural programme was also organised at the stadium. The 87-year-old Tibetan spiritual leader reached Gangtok on Wednesday morning, and is staying at a hotel. He is scheduled to stay in Gangtok till Thursday morning, when he will leave for Siliguri in neighbouring West Bengal. The Dalai Lama’s scheduled visit to Sikkim in October had been cancelled due to a flash flood that claimed the lives of scores of people and displaced thousands. He had last visited the Himalayan state in 2013, when he had come to consecrate the statue of Lord Buddha at the Buddha Park in Ravangla.
