Tibetans in Exile...

A recent book that opened me to a new world, a world of different perspectives, a world of different people; goes by this name….. probably a thesis work by a lady named Rashmi Gupta. Since she did her PhD from Himachal Pradesh University, the cause of Tibetans was a natural choice.. may be…. Because Himachal has its own small Tibet there, at a small place called McLeodganj, near Dharamsala. a few lines from the book that caught my attention go as follows....

"standing at the crossroads you are nameless...
  snakes twist in the odd corners of your mind
  the name they give you is the only name you have
  their noises are sweet as nostalgia.
  soft as drugged sleep, calling you to the womb, to death, to darkness
  you fall again and again between the sound and meaning."

Until I read this book, I was an ignorant girl who always read in papers and magazines the issues perplexing India and china over Tibet, over their military confrontations and other factors; but after completing this work of research, I had an illumination. A new side unraveled, discovered, a mystic world opened up, a plethora of facts, figures and data drilled into my head. Recently Gandhinagar, my own small beautiful Gandhinagar had buzzed with the news of some Tibetan mela that offered winter wears, beautiful shawls, sweaters, pull-overs, woolens, caps, inners, socks…. And more bunch of items… the specialties of Tibet….. I too wanted to have a dekko…so I pulled up with my family there…. N saw an amazing and artful house of work! I bought some too…. But I didn’t fail to notice how these lovely people who were selling the woolens were all educated, English speaking community, who were in many ways, more sophisticated than their  customers! One of these guys told me that he is originally from Tibet but lives in Dharamsala. The guy, his accent, his peers, everyone caught my attention and somehow  in the back of my mind, I build this strange urge to know more about them, to know more about the reasons behind these educated and wellread people selling items….. and my library supplemented my urge when I found this book, from the cover page of which, His Holiness Dalai Lama was gazing at me…. As though the book was meant for me….. I instantly got the book issued and started…….. I was uninformed at first, the ni got involved, then I got amazed ad finally I got somewhat drawn..o the cause of Tibetan refugees…. May be I can’t do much but may be in my own small ways, I might….. I might not do much for them now, but in the many years to come, I will certainly find out some ways to get to them, help them, live with them…. Maybe after I have made some good money and I have ample time on my sleeves…. But first, I got to find some job! :P guys, anybody who is remotely in touch with some refugees, or some organization working for them, working with them, do tell me if there are any ways by which I can help from here.. coz dilli toh abhi dur h……. J

And hey I recommend this book strongly to anyone who has some or at least little interest in non-fiction and reality…… go on friend…. There are really interesting facts that will leave you equipped with nitty grities of war details between in India-china, Tibet-china and refugees’ lives in India. 

i have shared some links..... do visit them to know more...... 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tibetan_diaspora  

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McLeod_Ganj