Some stories fade away with time, while some remain with us for the rest of our lives. Read below the story of one such brave man who left his country, Tibet, and found freedom and a feeling of being home in India.
My Name is LG*, currently, I live in Dharamshala as a Tibetan refugee where the 14th Dalai Lama lives. We lost our country (Tibet) after the occupation of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in 1959 and thousands of Tibetans fled to India so far. In 2004, my father decided to send me to India when I was 10 years old to become a well-educated man. So I crossed the Himalayan mountains with 32 Tibetans, our journey to India took almost 1 month.
When I was 6, I went to a local Chinese school in my town. The lessons basically taught us the ideology of communism as well as poetry in praise of Chairman Mao and other radical communists. Occasionally, Chinese films depicting the victory of communists against neighbouring enemies were screened at school.
I still remember that students were not allowed to hang photos of the Dalai Lama around their necks.
After traveling a whole month across the Himalayas, I finally reached my destination and was blessed by the man who is dear to the hearts of all the Tibetans, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama.
I have since then spent a decade of my life in Tibetan School, Mussoorie, India. I learned the meaning of living and the importance of being human. The memories and lessons that I learned from such an experience are one to note down. For instance, I am learning my own Tibetan language well for the first time. I still remember receiving a letter from my father from Tibet, which I read again. The school time was precious when I matured as a Tibetan and understood the value and importance of my culture and language for the first time.
My life in India is truly a remarkable experience and I still continue to learn new things about the benefits of Indian Democracy. Meeting people from diverse cultures and faiths strengthened my belief that every individual is good and all human beings share the desire for happiness and want to avoid suffering.
Every person carries with them a story — a story from the past or a story they are living. Sharing our experiences with others makes us more understanding and compassionate towards one another. Though experience and fear of leaving one’s home can be very traumatic, however, finally finding a place that we can call home can be one of the best gifts life can offer to us.
What is the meaning of home for you — is it just a four-walled shelter or a feeling that makes you feel warm and homely?
*Name not revealed owing to safety reasons. The story and views expressed in this blog solely belong to the author (LG).
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