Contact July 2011

Happy 76th Birthday to His Holiness the Dalai Lama

“I would like to add one generalcomment to the travelers’ tales. We,Tibetans love a show or a ceremony,whether it be religious or secular, andwe love all ceremonial and elegantdress,” says His Holiness the 14thDalai Lama in his Memoir My Land &My People. So, on July 6, take yourbest clothes out of your backpack, getall dressed up, and head out for acelebration! It’s the 76th birthday ofHis Holiness, and scores of Tibetansliving in Dharamsala will gather at themain Buddhist temple, Tsugalgkhang,to pray for the long life and health oftheir esteemed spiritual leader.

Born in 1935 in a small villagecalled Taktser in Northeastern Tibet,Lhamo Thondup was recognized as thereincarnation of the 13th Dalai Lama atthe age of two.

In Dharamsala, special prayersessions will be held at the mainTsuglagkhang temple complex wheremembers of the Tibetan Parliament andthe government-in-exile willparticipate. At 6:30 the birthdaycelebration will start with an earlymorning prayer, Incense offering called

By SabrinaSang-sol, and hoisting of Lungta, theFortune Flags. The opening ceremony ofthe function will be held by the TibetanInstitute of Performing Arts (TIPA).

“At 9:45 we will reach there [TIPA]with 20 junior artists and open theceremony while the Cabinet Members taketheir seats. We march through the templewhile playing flutes. Then follows theTibetan National Anthem,” says LobsangSanten, Artistic Director at TIPA. Thenecessary preparations have been inprogress since four weeks before theceremony.

Artists at TIPA will participate in thecultural program as well. During the show,school children and professional artistsfrom local Indian and Tibetan communitieswill perform musical plays and culturaldances. This celebration is not only meantfor the locals, Tibetan Online TV willcommunicate the life of the celebrationthrough the internet and cable television.

The celebration will be missing onevery imporant component though...HisHoliness the Dalai Lama himself! HisHoliness will be in Washington DC thatday, sharing his wisdom with the manyAmericans who hope to share their

IndependenceDay celebrations withHisHoliness. In Washington, His Holinesswill offer a Kalachakra for World Peace(ritual empowerment) in the U.S. capitalincluding preparatory teachings from July6th through the 16th. This will be the firsttime that TIPA participates in a birthdayceremony for His Holiness in a foreigncountry. Twenty senior artists will travel toWasington to perform a folk dance (dancefrom the “Roof of the World”) and a Tibetanopera.

Tibetan communities-in-exile, the vastmajority of India, and groups who supportthe Tibetan cause will celebrate this day allover the world.

“But Chinese law makes it impossiblefor his followers in Tibet and Nepal to sharein the festivities,” says Tenzin Norgyal, anemployee of the Center for Tibetan HumanRights and Democracy.

These days people may face graveconsequences if they publicly celebrate theDalai Lama’s birthday. Tibetans in Tibetcannot openly pray for the Dalai Lama’slong life or burn incense to mark HisHoliness’s birthday; nor can they carry ordisplay a photograph of him without fearof reprisals.

In the land encircled bysnow mountains

You are the source of allhappiness and good;

All powerful Chenrezig,Tenzin Gyatso,

Please remain untilsamsara ends.

PRAYER FOR THE LONG LIFEOF

HIS HOLINESSTHE

DALAI LAMA(abbreviated version)

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Contact Magazine 3 July 2011

Through the Eyes of a NomadHaving spent three months

volunteering in McLeod Ganj, researchingthe Tibetan refugee situation for myuniversity degree, I decided I needed adifferent perspective on the Tibetancommunity-in-exile. I wanted to knowwhat it was like for the receivingcommunity living in and around McLeodGanj. By following one of the popular localtrekking routes with my guide andtranslator Lalu, and with a rucksack fullof food and water, we set off to live lifethrough the eyes of local Gaddi Nomads.

The Gaddi are nomadic shepherds,who populate the foothills surroundingDharamshala, the exiled home of HisHoliness the Dalai Lama since 1960. Theyare the original inhabitants of the area.They have watched over centuries as theregion’s inhabitants have changed; fromthe arrival of the Aryan race, the rise andfall of the British Empire, to now, the arrivalof the Tibetan community-in-exile.

The three-day trek is possible totourists through many of the localoutdoor companies dotted around town.

 I  wanted  to  know  what  the  Gaddithought of the changes to the townbelow, the Tibetans, and the dailychallenges they face - as well as attemptto live as they did for just a few days tobetter understand their situation.

Having split the load in two, andfilled up on supplies, the first day of thetrek consisted largely of covering a greatdistance up the beautiful windingmountain paths. The impressiveDhauladhars range stood menacingly toour right as we ascended though pineforests. Upon arrival at each Gaddi villagewe were given what felt like hundreds ofcups of chai tea by the generous peopleworking the farms. The coming summermonsoon meant that everyone was busyand carefully tending to the corn fields;which were cut out of the steepmountainside in short steps in order togrow on a flat surface. When I hadcovered the same route in March, themountainsides had been covered in lush-green barley fields and were flecked withsnow. 

We reached Kareri village late in the

evening. It is a permanent Gaddi settlementthat overlooks Tibet Children’s Village. Inthe distance I could see the white peaks ofthe main temple roof. While many of themen are up in the mountains with theirherds living a semi-nomadic life, those thatare left work the fields, and most of theirchildren are educated at the localGovernment school.

We ate in the attic room belongingto a Gaddi friend of Lalu. Perched abovethe cowshed, we were served deliciouscrushed nettles thick with butter, as wellas dal, and rice with milk curd. It tastedgreat after such a long hike; and I watched,exhausted, as the wife of the house threwchapatti bread into the fire to bake it in thehot ash. Every slice threw up hot cloudsof dust and ash. To me the meal tastedbetter than any restaurant food I had eatenin McLeod Ganj, and the atmosphere wasincredible.

The entire house was made of mudbricks and wood. The floor wavered andbent as people walked on it and everythingwas slightly crooked. Each home was

By Samuel Ivor

(continued on page 6)

Contact Magazine 4 July 2011

LHAKAR – The Tibetan Grassroots RevolutionBy Caroline Couffinhal

“Lhakar is the movement thatstar ted and inspired many youngTibetans in Tibet after the 2008 uprising.This is an effort to further spread themovement amongst the Tibetans-in-exile,” stated Dolkar, a 23-year-old Tibetanliving-in-exile.

Lhakar is a homegrown movementthat has emerged in Tibet. In spite ofChina’s intensified crackdown, Tibetanshave embraced the power of strategicnon-violent resistance.

Every Wednesday, a growingnumber of Tibetans are making a specialeffort to wear traditional clothes, speakTibetan, dine in Tibetan restaurants, andbuy from Tibetan-owned businesses.They channel their spirit of resistance intosocial, cultural, and economic activitiesthat are self-constructive (promotingTibetan language, culture, and identity)and non-cooperative (refusing tosupport Chinese institutions andbusinesses). Though humble in scale,these non-cooperation tactics hark back

to the Indian boycott of British textile ata turning point in the Indian freedomstruggle.

The Tibetan word “Lhakar”translates literally as “WhiteWednesday.” Wednesday is consideredspecial by Tibetans because it is HisHoliness the Dalai Lama’s Soul Day.

Since 2008, after the non-violentuprising, Tibetans in Tibet and in-exilehave taken diverse Lhakar Pledges,resolving to boycott Made-in-Chinaproducts, to eat vegetarian everyWednesday, to read a Tibetan newspaperonce-a-week, to wear a Chupa everyWednesday, etc. Through these pledgesand actions, Tibetans are comingtogether in the greatest non-cooperationmovement Tibet has ever seen.

All around the world, Tibetans aremaking a sincere effort to acknowledgeLhakar. In India, the movement isgrowing due to the immense involvementof volunteers, activists, writers, andtrusted helpers. With the TibetanDiaspora growing, this movement is

meant to keep the Tibetan soul alive atleast one day a week.

“One day; this means a lot.”In Dharamsala, for Tibetan people

in-exile, that day means a lot; it meansthat Tibet’s soul is alive for at least one day.

This day revives the Tibetan culturethrough simple actions such as wearingChuba and other traditional clothing,speaking only in the Tibetan languageall day long, listening to Tibetantraditional music, dining in Tibetanrestaurants, and buying from Tibetan-owned businesses.

“A Connection with Tibet”In Dharamsala, in the Tibetan exile

community, many people have decidedto join the movement.

A support group was recentlyformed in Dharamsala with the goal ofpublicizing Lhakar to the Tibetancommunity. Currently, they created awebsite, Facebook page, and Twitteraccount. Thanks to the internet, theLhakar movement can be easily marketedaround the world.

Dolkar is a 23 year-old Tibetan girl,born in India. She has never seen hercountry but every Wednesday herthoughts are in Tibet and her lifestyle isstrictly Tibetan.

Through Lhakar, a connection isestablished between her and the “Roofof the World.”

For Dolkar, the idea of preservingthe culture, the language ... In short, theidentity of Tibet adds another dimensionto the movement.

“I am Tibetan; I do not need areminder of this, but every Wednesday -more than any other day - I remember thestruggle we lead and what is happeningin Tibet. Thanks to this movement, thereis clearly a connection between thecommunity-in-exile and Tibetans in Tibet.”

Gradually, the Tibetan community-in-exile takes part in the movement.Every Wednesday, Dolkarcommunicates her commitment to theTibetan cause through her actions.

“As soon as I meet new friends, Itell them about Lhakar. Tibetans-in-exileare very receptive and sensitive to the

(continued on page 8)

Contact Magazine 5 July 2011

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(continued on page 7)

By Caroline CouffinhalPastoralism describes the

interdependent relationship amongstpastoralists, their herds of ruminants, andtheir habitat.

The Tibetan Plateau, averagealtitude of 4000 meters, is the area of theDrokpas (Brogpas). Due to the harshclimate, many regions at high altitudesdo not allow people to settle on landwhich is limited to a few hectares. Takingwith them everything they own, they mustmove with their herds of sheep, goats,and yaks on the broad steppe grasslandsin search of pasture.

On the Tibetan Plateau, the Rupshu(North India), in the Kham and Changtang(Tibet), Drokpas take shelter in tents ofyak hair and feed their fires with the dungof this animal, which also provides themwith meat, milk, wool, and leather at thebase of their livelihood. Their long walksare punctuated with stops near the bazaarwhere they sell their surplus to buy riceand other grains.

Nomads typically raise yaks, goats,and sheep; and migrate between theirwinter homes in the valleys and highlandpastures in the summer. They typicallyspend two-thirds of the year in thevalleys.

Nomadism is declining everywhere,however. More and more families nowhave a permanent winter camp. In Tibet,the Chinese regime negotiatesproduction contracts with the pastoralnomads, trying to integrate them into themarket economy. The plan also conductsmassive relocation of nomads in artificialvillages that are built in a hurry.

For centuries, the Tibetan pastoralnomads and herders have successfullymaintained a sustainable and mobilelifestyle, traveling to different seasonalpastures. This is about to change.

Since 2000, the Chinesegovernment has implemented policies forpopulation displacement.

Launched in the late 90s, thecampaign included the development ofwestern lands of China, sending nomadsto unfamiliar habitats in order to boosteconomic activity and development inwestern areas, including Tibet.

According to the 2007 HRW*report, “The Chinese government gaveseveral justifications for its actions, citingprimarily its concern to protect theenvironment, and quoting Chineseobjectives to ‘bring development’ and‘civilize’ the areas and people concerned.”

The authorities also justify theiractions by presenting them ‘as anecessary response to environmentalcrises that affect Tibetan plateau.’

Since 2003, these policies haveparticularly radicalized in the prefecturesof Golok (Guoluo) and Yushu in QinghaiProvince. But they were also applied inthe provinces Gansu, Sichuan, Yunnan,and the Tibet Autonomous Region(TAR). Local people living in theseregions are usually forced to sell theiryaks and then resettled elsewhere.

According to Freetibet.org, “around300, 000 families in Tibet, involving 1.43 millionnomads and farmers were moved into newor fixed settlement homes since 2006.”

“A close and positive relationshipbetween the prairie ecosystem and its

inhabitants.”According to an expert report

published on the French website Tibet-Info.net, China needs the knowledgeacquired by generations of nomads onprairie ecosystems. Over the millennia,pastoral nomads learned that only goodmanagement of the Tibetan Plateau makeshuman life possible and ecologicallysustainable. The nomads of Tibet are

Pastoral Nomad Resettlement Issue Ignites Global Interest

Contact Magazine 6 July 2011

Copyright Photo: Caroline Couffinhal

painted in colorful pastel washes andwhat the village lacked in finance, wasoutshone by the beaming smiles andvibrant colors of the little mountainsidecommunity. 

We seemed to spend much of thelate evening going from house to housethrough narrow paths that led betweenthe fields, sipping chai at every place westopped. There wasn’t much I could dobut watch and laugh at jokes that Lalutranslated to me on the porch of eachhome.

Everything was spoken in localdialect, but occasionally I heard theconversation drift to ‘Europe’ and allheads would point towards me. We jokedand laughed all evening, and I noticedhow different life was just a few hour trekfrom the hustle of the town below. Therewas no traffic, everyone was calm andsmiling, and the view was serene. I driftedoff easily that night to the sounds of cowslowing in the barn next door, and thesound of a village of content peoplesettling down in the warm summer night.

The following night however, wasa far cry from the warmth and tranquillityI had felt in Naddi village. Having trekkedat a breakneck speed all day, setting offat dawn, and ascending to a dizzyingaltitude, we found ourselves overlookingKareri Lake – perhaps one of the region’sbest kept secrets.

Snow flecked mountains set abeautiful backdrop to the glass lake. Asthe sun lowered over the hillsides it casta deep orange light over the high-pass,and reflected off the surface of Kareri likediamonds on the water.

The weather began to changequickly however, and we foundourselves begging for shelter in one ofthe thick set Gaddi huts that the grizzledshepherds used. The lonely nomadsseemed unaccustomed to strangerssharing their huts, and Lalu had to talkthem round. Thankfully too, because itwas here that I got my best interviewswith the Gaddi, and how their ancient wayof life was changing and adjusting to theglobal, tourist world that raged below.

With the aid of Lalu, I asked them whatthey thought of the Tibetan situation inDharamsala. It was generally agreed thatthe Dalai Lama was a great man; however,they seemed bemused at the wealth ofsome of the younger Tibetans, and knew

little of the human rights crisis in Tibet.The four elderly nomad shepherds

murmured quietly to each other throughthe night in the cramped hut. A hugeelectric storm was rolling through thevalley and we were in the epicentre. Theleathery kind faces of the nomads lookedlike masks in the light, changing with thewarm glow of the fire embers to the palewhite flashes of the storm. I could hearthe sound of their ancient hookah pipebubbling at intervals between thethunderclaps. I glanced at Lalu; heseemed nervous. I watched the corner ofone of the shepherds lips curl down whenone particularly loud crash of the stormhit; the air of the hut reverberating. Whitetobacco smoke swirled before his glazedeyes. We were at over 4500 meters in theHimalayas, and I was beginning to growwary. It was as if we were huddled waitingfor the rapture. Deafening noise camefrom every direction. The air aroundus began to light up with purple flashesat alarmingly fast intervals. We sathuddled in thick wool blankets aroundthe embers of a fire that was slowly goingout; the lengths of getting some first-hand research on Gaddi nomads in themountains were proving difficult tonight.

As the storm picked up in ferocity,the tiny stone hut, held together with mudbegan letting in ice cold water, whichmade my skin crawl. It hissed on the firelike great mournful tears. I could almostimagine the enormous boulders that werestrewn across the adjacent pass beingtossed around in the storm like marblesin the hands of Hindu Gods in the wind.The Gaddi men around me believed theyhad a direct, ancient bloodline to the GodShiva; I wondered if that was why theywere so placid. I slid deeper into my thickwool blanket, and lay there until sunrise.

After a painful night with little sleep,and having trekked down the foothills forten hours, I found myself floating aroundin a cool mountain pool; near the end ofthe journey. I had been trying to teachLalu how to swim, which had provedmixed results. I began relaxing havinggiven up after some fruitless splashing.

I ran through all of the facts andinterviews I had covered on the trip, andwas alarmed and amazed at how difficultlife was up in the mountains for the lonelyshepherds. Every year they would crossthe mighty Dhauladhars range, with theirentire flocks of goat and ox. I was touched

by the kindness and generosity of thepeople I had met, whose kitchen shelveswere often bare, yet they had alwaysprovided. It had also been truly insightfulto learn what these ancient nomadicherders thought of the Tibetan settlementin the valley below, and how the hugenumber of tourists flocking to the areawere affecting their way of life in a greatway too. I had laughed at first when Iwitnessed one particularly elderlyshepherd dressed in traditional Gaddidress whipping out a mobile phone. I thenlearned that the sheer demand fortechnology to cover the routes ofWestern tourists had created thisdependency and availability. Myrucksack was stuffed with notes to saythe least.

 Lying in the cool mountain pool, Ishut my eyes for a while, floating like aleaf, and I tried to enjoy the cool water. Iwanted to ignore my protesting stomachfull of goat’s heart which I had beenobliged to eat the night before in the hut.I opened my eyes sometime later to seearound 50 curious faces peering down atme from a ledge above. I lifted my headout of the water and heard them laughingand making remarks to each other. On therock above were the local secondaryschool kids - just the boys, as the girlswere higher up the path hiding behindtrees and rocks in an attempt not to beseen. 

 Suddenly  there  were  hugesplashes all around as the older studentsbegan diving into the pool. They werepointing and laughing at Lalu for his(apparently feeble) swimming attempts,and began paddling around the pool toshow off their own strokes, which I hadnever seen before, and would shame anOlympian. 

 On the way back through the pineforests, full of chai tea and with mymuscles loose from the swim, Lalu begansinging one of his Gaddi songs, whichhe explained were Pagan stories - a wayof passing on Gaddi history to the nextgeneration. He led the way to the bedlamof the little Tibetan town-in-exile throughthe woods, singing at the top of his voice,and occasionally hopping from rock torock on the winding forest path.

 (Note: Names of individuals have beenaltered.)

(continued from page 3)

Contact Magazine 7 July 2011

Siddhartha Yoga Ashram Retreat Centre

Contact: Shivam 9816565138Siddhartha Yoga Centre ,Upper Bhagsu Nag , next to High Sky www.siddharthayogacentre.org, [email protected]

Copyright photo: Samuel Ivor

essential in the long-term health ofecosystems and water resources uponwhich China relies on.

According to the report “No One Hasthe Liberty to Refuse” (HRW-2007), thereare approximately 4000 years since thehypothetical origin of pastoralism. Thepersistence of these livelihoods and thisway of life have shown a close and positiverelationship between ecosystem meadowsand its inhabitants. This is a benefit forfamilies and clans, communities andmonasteries, and more broadly, thecommon good of China.

China claims that Tibet would bedegraded grassland due to overgrazing.Based on this argument, China focuses anessential part of its mitigation measures ofglobal warming on the uprooting and theforcible transfer of nomads out of theirterritories, to prevent further deteriorationof the ecosystem in Tibet. On the contrary,a recent scientific study - conducted byChinese scientists - states that climatechange - not the land use - is responsiblefor 81% degradation of grasslands locatedon the Tibetan Plateau near the upperYangtze.

In 2009, an article published by theTibet Post revealed that the “Chinesegovernment forcibly relocates 50,000Tibetan herders to urban areas.”

The article further states, “Chinesegovernment claims to have ‘settled nearly50,000 Tibetan nomads into sedentarycommunities in a drive to protect the remotealpine region’s fragile ecology from theirherds.’ Under the façade of environmentalprotection, this act will have a disastrousimpact on the Tibetan herders’ ability tomaintain their traditional lifestyles and willthreaten a distinctive form of Tibetancultural identity.”

This is clear. Forceful Resettlementof Nomads is Still Ongoing in Tibet.

The HRW report says, “Even assumingthat the government had valid reasons forthe environment or other to transfer theTibetan people under certain circumstances,travel [nomad resettlement] is almost alwaysmade without transparency, priorconsultation and payment of compensationafter travel, as required by Chinese law asinternational law.”

Nomadic families, often illiterate anduneducated, are given a contract by theChinese government. This contract, oncesigned, binds the nomadic families to lifein the artificial village without themunderstanding what their new life actuallyencompasses. Nomadic families, who were

at one time interdependent on nature,are blinded by the offer of a safe shelter;unaware of not being able to live offthe land any longer.

According to DIIR, theDepartment of Information andInternational Relations based inDharamsala, the situation is two-folded.Not only is the relationship between thepastoral nomads and nature beingdissolved, but also the transferal ofnomadic families from meadows tocement is fostering the destruction ofan ancient culture and way of life.

This is not only a political issueany longer; it is becoming an

environmental issue. Scientists fromaround the world have proven that thenomadic lifestyle of environmentalinterdependence is essential for thegrowth of the ecosystem in China. Witheducation comes great responsibility; itis up to the environmental community toraise awareness of this critical situationwhile the injustice to nature and thepeople can still be stopped.

Sources:Migrationinformation.orgWikipedia.orgHumanRightWatch- report2007-DIIR office - Dharamsala

(continued from page 5)

Resettlement village established by Chinese Government to house Pastoral Nomads in iibet.

Copyright: Dept. of Info and Intl Relations

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movement. The message is spreadingrapidly and there is growing support inthe community.

What interests and appeals to thepeople in this movement is probably thefact that it is more a state of mind. Thereare no rules; no restrictions; anyone isfree to take the lead or not to follow themovement. This movement is for thepeople, for each Tibetan.

I, for one, am more responsible as aTibetan on Wednesday. I take action.When I wear my Chupa I try to inspireothers.”

Tibet I Care is an organizationinitiated by a group of young Tibetansinspired by the Lhakar movement. TibetI Care has decided to organize the first-awareness campaign around themovement during His Holiness’s 76th

birthday celebration on July 6th, whichfalls on… Wednesday!

During this campaign called TheTibet Games, traditional games such asShooting the Arrow, Lifting the Rock,Skipping, and Tug-o-war are inspired by

Lhakar. The Tibet Games will be held atTCV Day School in McLeod Ganj,Dharamsala on Wednesday, July 6th

between 2:00-5:00pm The event issupported by six local organizations(Gu-Chu-Sum, LHA, SFT, Tibet HopeCenter, Tibet I Care and Volunteer Tibet).

For more information visit Lhakar.org

Follow the Lhakar movement:

On Facebook: Lhakar Jones and Lhakar Solidarity

On Wordpress: Lhakardiaries

On Twitter: Lhakardiaries

 Tong-Len Charitable Trust  is  anorganization working with the homelessIndian community in Dharamsala. Tong-Len was founded by Jamyang a Tibetanmonk who upon witnessing their appallingpoverty decided to make some changes.

Many visitors and even some residentswould be surprised to learn that over 800people live in a sprawling tent slum inLower Dharamsala. The families earn theirliving begging and rubbish collecting,working in low-wage trades such as shoepolishing, construction work, and sellingitems such as socks and blankets.

Since 2004 Tong-Len has been

providing free life changing health andeducation services to the slum dwellers.Currently 40 children from the slum live inhostels and attend school daily. Thisprogram has been an enormous success.On their most recent report cards 27 of thechildren scored over 90%.

In the coming months Tong-Len isopening it’s new hostel buildings whichwill accommodate 96 children. Donorsfrom India and abroad, including HisHoliness the Dalai Lama, contributed tothis important project. Due to increasesin the costs associated with providingelectricity and water to the new buildings,Tong-Len does not have the budget to

purchase many books for the hostellibrary. Donations will be greatlyappreciated by the children as they loveto read; not too mention reading isessential to the success of theireducation.

Tong-Len is requesting the donationof new or gently used books in English orHindi suitable for children age 5 to 18.Books can be dropped off in McLeod Ganjat Jimmy’s Italian Kitchen or CommonGround Restaurant. They can also bebrought to the Tong-Len office in LowerDharamsala. Cash donations can be madeat the office or on-line using a credit card;tax receipts are available. Please mentionthat your donation is for the library.

Donors are asked to print their nameand home country or home town in the booksif they would like to, as the children wouldenjoy knowing a little about the donors.

Further information about Tong-Len’s projects and the child sponsorshipprogram can be found on their websitewww.tong-len.org or by calling the officeat (01892) 223930

Please donate books to helpdevelop the hostel library. Children willenjoy your donation for years to come.

Book Donations Desperately Needed for Tong-Len Children’s HostelBy Angela Clyburn

(continued from page 4)

Contact Magazine 9 July 2011

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Library of Tibetan Works & ArchivesLOCATION: Gangchen Kyishong, betweenMcLeod Ganj and Lower DharamsalaHOURS: 9-10am, 11-noon and 3-4pmPHONE: 222 467

Public Audience with HH KarmapaCONTACT: Cheme ChoegyalLOCATION: SidhpurHOURS: 2.30pm, Wed and SatPHONE: 9816315336DETAILS: www.kagyuoffice.org

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EMAIL: [email protected] WEBSITE: WWW.OMYOGAINDIA.COM

DAILY YOGA CLASS8-9:30 AM AND 4-5:30 PM

Learn Hindi......the quick and easy way with an

experienced teacherBeginner, intermediate and advanced

Contact: Om Yoga Meditation CentreKetan Lodge, Jogiwara Road.

Tel. 9816494732www.omyogaindia.com

Lha Tibetan Cooking SchoolLOCATION: Lha Office, Temple RdPHONE: 220 992HOURS: Registration from 9am-11am, See pg 3.Indian Cooking ClassesLOCATION: Jogiwara Rd, next to TibetanAshoka GuesthouseHOURS: 10am-6pmPHONE: 941 813 0119EMAIL: [email protected]

Lhamo’s Kitchen, Tibetan Cooking ClassesLOCATION: Bhagsu Rd, near the Green ShopPHONE: 981 646 8719HOURS: 8am-9pm

Nisha’s Indian Cooking ClassLOCATION: Hotel Lotus Leaf, Jogiwara RdHOURS: Classes from 4-6pmEMAIL: [email protected]

Sangye’s Kitchen Tradit ionalTibetan Cooking C lassesRecommended by Lonely planetLOCATION:Lung-ta Restaurant, below theTashi Choeling Monastery on Jogiwara RdHOURS:10am-12pm and 4-6pmPHONE: 981 616 4540EMAIL: [email protected]

Ayuskam Health CareLOCATION: First floor Hotel Anand Place,near Bhagsu taxi stand and near TibetanHotel Ashoka Guest House McLeod GanjMOBILE: 9805928923/9736211210WEBSITE: www.ayuskama.com

(continued on page 10)

LearnTarot Card Reading

Osho Zen CardsRaider and Waide Cards

ReikiReiki Level I, II, III

Also contact for reading and healingsessions @ 91-9816867501

Email: [email protected]

Vedic AstrologerLOCATION: Kunga Guest house (Nick's ItalianRestaurant), Bhagsu Rd McLeod Ganj-Map #6MOBILE: 09897339026HOURS: Drop-in

Contact Magazine 10 July 2011

Tibetan with Teacher Pema Youdon:LOCATION: Jogiwara Rd, opposite the post officeHOURS: 1-4pm, or leave a message.

M AS S AG ELha Healing Oil Massage Courses &TreatmentLOCATION: Lha Office, Temple RdPHONE: 220 992HOURS: Registration from 9am-11am, See pg 3.

Kailash Tribal SchoolTaught byYogi SivadasWEB: www.yogatribe.orgLOCATION: Bhagsu Rd, near the GreenShop - Map #6HOURS: visiting 1-2pm, no class on TuesPHONE: 981 615 0326EMAIL: [email protected]

Nature Cure Health ClubLOCATION: Near Tibetan Ashoka,Jogiwara RdPHONE: 941 813 0119EMAIL: [email protected]

Shiatsu & Swedish MassageLOCATION: Lha Office, Temple RdPHONE: 220 992See ad pg 3.

Synergy Ayuredic Massage CentreLOCATION: Near Tibetan Ashoka,Jogiwara RdPHONE: 941 80 8488EMAIL: [email protected]

Traditional Thai MassageLOCATION: Opposite the Govt. Tourist Infor-mation Centre, Hotel Surya RdPHONE: 981 633 9199EMAIL: [email protected]

LA NGU AG ES

HEALTH SERVICES

Dr. Sant Marwah ClinicLOCATION: in front of Main TempleHOURS: 9:30am-6:30pmPHONE: 221 106, 98160 21106

Kumar Ayurvedic and PanchkarmaLOCATION: Hotel Surya Rd, opposite theTourism Informations CentrePHONE: 941 824 9399OURS: 10am-2pm and 2:30-7pm

Maanav Health ClinicLOCATION: Main SquareHOURS: 10am-12:30pm and 2-5pmPHONE: 941 815 5795EMAIL: [email protected]

Men-Tsee-KhangLOCATION: between McLeod Ganj andLower DharamshalaPHONE: 222 618, 223 113EMAIL: [email protected]

Nature Cure Health ClubLOCATION: Jogiwara Rd, next to TibetanAshoka Guest House-Map #10HOURS: 9:30am-6:30pmPHONE:: 941 813 0119EMAIL: [email protected]

Primary Health CentreLOCATION: Jogiwara Rd, main marketHOURS: 9:30am-4pm, Mon-Sat

Tibetan Delek HospitalLOCATION: Gangchen Kyishong, betweenMcLeod Ganj and Lower DharamsalaPHONE: 222 053, 223 381HOURS: Outpatient services: 9am-1pm,Mon-Sat; Specialist clinics: 2-4:30pm, Mon-Sat; Emergencies: 24 hrs, daily

(continued from page 9)

Kailash Tribal Meditation SchoolTaught by Yogi SivadasWEB: www.yogatribe.orgLOCATION: Bhagsu Rd, nr the Green Shop - Map #6HOURS: visiting 1-2pm, no class on TuesPHONE: 981 615 0326EMAIL: [email protected]

I am Happy Open AshramWEB: www.iamhappy.inEMAIL: [email protected]: Behind Hotel Akashdeep,Bhagsu- Map #6 & McleodganjHOURS: 4-5pm, Mon-SatMOBILE: 9882868470 or 9569221047

Om Yoga, Meditation & Reiki CentreSee the Yoga & Reiki section.

Tushita Meditation CenterWEB: www.tushita.infoLOCATION: DharamkotHOURS: 9:30-11:30am, Mon-SatPHONE: 221 866EMAIL: [email protected]

Vipassana MeditationWEB: www.sikhara.dhamma.orgLOCATION: DharamkotHOURS: 4-5pm, Mon-SatPHONE: 221 309EMAIL: [email protected]

Kailash Tribal School,RYS 200 & RYS 500 YTTC(Yoga Alliance USA Recognized)LOCATION: Bhagsu Rd, near the Green ShopWEB: www.yogatribe.orgHOURS: visiting 1-30 pm, Closed on TuesdayPHONE: 981 615 0326EMAIL: [email protected]

Om Yoga, Meditation & Reiki CentreLOCATION: Ketan Lodge, behind Akash Hotel,on Jogiwara Rd - Map #17HOURS: 8am-6pmPHONE: 980 569 3514

Rishi Yoga Centre with Yogi ShivamWEB: www.siddharthayogacentre.orgLOCATION: Himalyan ParadiseHotel Jogiwara Rd - Map #15HOURS: 7-8am & 6:15-7:15pmPHONE: 981 656 5138EMAIL: [email protected]

Siddhartha Yoga Centre with Yogi ShivamWEB: www.siddharthayogacentre.orgLOCATION: Upper Bagsu Nag Map #1HOURS: 7-8am & 6:15-7:15pmPHONE: 981 656 5138EMAIL: [email protected]

Tibetan Language ClassLOCATION: Lha Office, Temple RdHOURS: Registration from 9-11am, Mon-FriPHONE: 220 992See ad on pg 3.

Hindi ClassesLOCATION: Ketan Lodge, Jogiwara Rd,beside the Korean RestaurantPHONE: 981 649 4732

Hindi Lessons with KailashLOCATION: At Bhimsen’s Indian Cooking ClassPHONE: 220 063, 941 816 1947HOURS: 4-6pm, daily

Hindi Lessons with SunilLOCATION: Kunga Guesthouse, Bhagsu Rdand in DharamkotPHONE: 221 942, 941 818 7281EMAIL: [email protected]

Tibetan LanguageLOCATION: The LibraryHOURS: 10-11am and noon-1pmSee Buddhist philosophy listing.

YOGA & REIKI

MEDITATION

Himalayan Iyengar Yoga CentreLOCATION: Dharamkot, on the footpath to Bhagsu - Map #5EMAIL: [email protected]: www.hiyogacentre.com

Universal Yoga with VijayRecognized by Yoga AllianceWEB: www.vijaypoweryoga.comLOCATION: Room #5, Yongling SchoolBuilding, Jogiwara Rd - Map #15HOURS: 9:00 -11:10am & 4:30 - 6:30PmEMAIL: [email protected]

Tour guide service by nunsTibetan Nuns Project’s branch office based in

McLeod Ganj provides you with tour guideservices around Dharamsala – including

nunneries.

For full details, please contact us at: Tibetan NunsProject, c/o Dolma Ling Nunnery

P.O. Sidhpur – 176057, Dist. Kangra, H.P (INDIA)Email – [email protected]

Contact no – 1892 246413/246419Mobile no – 94180 34641

We specialize in Mongolian Pashmina,Silk Pashmina, Ladakhi Wool, pure

Pashmina, Silk Angoora, Yak Wool, PureWool Shawls & Kullu Shawls.

Factory Price

Wholesale and retail availableWe are open 7 days a week: Mon - Sunday

Please visit in Bhagsu Nag near taxi stand atAnand Palace Hotel RoadWe accept all credit cards

Contact: 01892 220665, Mob: 92186 [email protected]

Each Item is genuine and guaranteed

Adra Shawls

Contact Magazine 11 July 2011

Tourist InformationBus Schedule

* Times and prices may vary.Please check with the bus stand ahead of departure.

LEAVING FROM THE MCLEOD GANJ BUS STAND, UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED:DELHI: Ordinary Bus: 4:45am, 6pm, 6:45pm, 8:15pm and 8:30pm (Rs330) Semi Deluxe Bus: 6pm (Rs355) AC Volvo Semi-Sleeper: 8pm (Rs1035) AC TATA: 8:30pm (Rs840)

AMRITSAR: Ordinary Bus: 4:45am (Rs165)*from Dharamsala

DEHRADUN: Ordinary Bus: 9pm; AC Deluxe: 5:30pm

MANALI: Ordinary Bus: 5:40pm, 8:40pm *from Dharamsala

PATHANKOT: Ordinary Bus: 11am, 12:10pm, 12:30pm, 2:10pm, 3:50pm, 5pm(Rs75)

SHIMLA: Ordinary Bus: 5am, 5:30am, 6am, 8am, noon and 4:55pm (Rs235)*from Dharamsala

Semi Deluxe Bus: 8:22am, 7:45pm and 9:30pm (Rs???) *fromDharamsala

FOR BOOKINGS:LOCATION: ticket stand under McLLo’s, main squareHOURS: 10am-6pm, dailyPHONE: 221750For deluxe buses, book through any travel agency.

TAXISA private taxi to Lower Dharamsala willcost you Rs 160. Cram into a jeep (from

the bus stand), and it’ll only cost youRs10.

Police Contact InformationLOCATION: Past St.John’s Church, on road toDharamshala in Cantt area.PHONE: 221 483

Tibetan Delek HospitalLOCATION: Gangchen Kyishong, betweenMcLeod Ganj and Lower DharamshalaHOURS: Outpatient services: 9am-1pm, Mon-Sat; Specialist clinics: 2-4:30pm, Mon-Sat;Emergencies: 24-hrs, daily.PHONE: 222 053,223 381

Post OfficeThe McLeod Ganj Post Office is located onLOCATION: Jogiwara Rd, past Peace CafeHOURS: 9:30am-1pm and 2-5pm, Mon-Fri;9:30am-noon, Sat.PHONE: 221 924Parcels and money orders can besent in the mornings only.

G O I N G T O A M R I T S A R ?Come see us at Tourist Guest House

British colonial mansion turned into beautiful guesthouse

that tourists have been f locking to for a taste of theRaj l ife style. We have Internet connection at Rs 1/min.

Comfortable stay with home cooked meals. Dorm bed Rs 85, Single/dble w. bath Rs 125-250.

Walking distance from train and bus. Private parking.Recommended in travel guide ‘Lets Go-2000’.

Contact Harindar at : 0183-2553830 / 0183-3103219E-mail : [email protected]

- Map #3

Nature CureHealth Clubwith Mahinder Kapoor

Jogiwara Rd, next to Tibetan Ashoka Guest House - Map# 13, Mobile: 94181 30119 or 09736333888

Email: [email protected],12 years’ experience & recommended

by the Lonely PlanetVisit us for: Swedish massage courses & treatment,

Zen Shiatsu courses, treatment, reflexologytreatment, SPA , Singing Bowl Treatment, steambaths,

sauna & mud baths.Our teacher has had experience teaching in Israel.

TraditionalTibetan Soft Dolls

For play or decoration!Individually handcrafted and filled

with pure, local sheep wool.Tamana Shop,

Jogiwara Rd, or visit our workshop.Contact: 981 637 4389

Contact Magazine 12 July 2011

The Mountain Cleaners is a volun-tary organization founded in April 2009by Jodie Underhill who have success-

fully set up a waste management system atthe popular trekking destination Triund.You can help Jodie and the Mountain

Around Town: Helping OutANIMAL RESCUE

Dharamsala Dog RescueWe are in urgent need of vet volunteers,animal experts and sponsors. We are in im-mediate need of sponsors for two paraly-sed dogs that need a home, wheelchair,monthly food and medicine. Please contactus if you see an injured/sick dog. Anythingyou can do is appreciated.WEB: www.hnsindia.orgLOCATION: Behind the District Court Complexon Chilgari St, Lower DharamsalaPHONE: 981 622 0841EMAIL: [email protected]

Rogpa Baby Care CentreWe help low income Tibetanfamilies to

become self-sufficient by providing freechild care for infants so their parentscan work. Can you help with art, games,singing and lots of hard work? (includingdiaper changing!) If you can create andmaintain a fun and loving atmospherewith our children, hours are Mon-Sat,either 8.30am-12pm or 1pm-5pm(located near no.13 on map)

Rogpa Shop and CafeHelp serve drinks and cakes, plus sellour fairly traded products. Weaccept donated clothes & books(located near no.14 on map)Min. commitment for both jobs is 3 weeksPlease contact us directly or by [email protected]

PUBLICATION

Contact MagazineSubmit a single piece or become a steadycorrespondent of this local, grassrootspublication. Contact needs volunteers towrite, proofread and edit copy and work ongraphic design.Volunteers needed, especiallythose with a knowledge of Photoshop.CONTACT: Lobsang Rabsel at the Lha office,Temple Road.PHONE: 981 615 5523EMAIL: [email protected]

Volunteer language teachers, for both long-and short-term placements, are needed forquality education in Mcleod Ganj:

Gu-Chu-Sum provides support for ex-po-litical prisoners and their families. It alsoorganises campaigns for the release ofcurrent political prisoners.Gu-Chu-Sum School needs volunteers forits English conversation classes and tutor-ing sessions from 6pm onwards, Mon- Fri.LOCATION: Jogiwara Rd, downstairs Lung-taJapanese RestaurantHOURS: 4:30-6:30pmPHONE: 220 680EMAIL: [email protected]

Tibet Hope Center is a registered NGOstarted by two Tibetans to support thenewcomers from Tibet.We run a conversation class where ourstudents can practice their English, andwe are in constant need of conversationpartners. They love to ask questionsabout your life and exchange ideas onmany topics.Think Globally, Act LocallyWEB: www.tibethopecenter.orgLOCATION: Jogiwara Rd, behind Gu-Chu-SumHOURS: 4:30-5:45pm, daily, and we evenhave a campfire every evening!PHONE: 981 637 3889EMAIL: [email protected]

works with Indian com-munit ies l iv ing in

poverty toward a healthy and sustainablefuture.Needed urgently: volunteer primary teach-ers and assistants for maths, English andart, as well as nurses and health workers.CONTACT: Tashi LhamoLOCATION: Top floor, Bank of Baroda oppo-site art gallery, Kotwali Bazar, DharamsalaPHONE: 981 608 1562, 223 930EMAIL: [email protected]

TUTORS & CLASS ASSISTANTS

Lha Donation CenterAccepting donations of all kinds: clothing, sleep-ing bags, books, school supplies, office sup-plies, medical supplies, used laptops, finan-cial assistance... Donations are clearly recordedand distributed to those in need, both Tibetanand Indian. Lha is a registered non-profit,social service organisation. See advert on pg 3.

Tong-LenDonations welcomed: medical supplies, sta-tionary, books, toys and children’s clothing.LOCATION: Top floor, Bank of Baroda oppositethe art gallery Kotwali Bazar, DharamsalaPHONE: 981 608 1562, 223 930

DONATIONS

Volunteer TibetYou’re motivated to share your timeand assist organisations in the Tibetancommunity. Even if you’re j us t

passingthrough Dharamsala, there arestill many ways to donate your time & make adifference.

WEB: www.volunteertibet.org.inLOCATION: Jogiwara Rd, opposite AkashGuesthouse.HOURS: 9am- and 5pm, Mon-FriPHONE: 98820 17083, 220 894EMAIL:[email protected]’s Team Volunteers required to teachIndian women computer/English skills. For moreinformation visit [email protected] mobile 09817515123

For a full list of volunteer opportunities,bothlong- and short-term, please contact us:

The Active NonviolenceEducation Center (ANEC)facilitates trainings, workshopsand open forum discussions onnonviolent strategies to help

resolve disagreements and differences atall levls of human society.As part of our General Outreach Program,ANEC welcomes volunteers from westerncountries to participate in informal paneldiscussions on ideas and views of regionaland global peace and nonviolent strategies.Free lunch and tea for volunteers.WEB: www.anec.org.inLOCATION: No. 262, 1st floor, KhajanchiMohalla, Khunyara Rd, Lower DharamsalaPHONE: 941 809 4476, 941 898 7745EMAIL: [email protected]

Learning and Ideas for Tibet (L.I.T.) isa non-profit organization that needs arange of volunteers interested in theTibetan movement and communityeducation.CONTACT: LaurenPHONE: 941 879 4218L O C AT I O N : Jogiwara Rd, near the KoreanRestaurant

Lha Community Social Work fostersprojects for the benefit and enrichment ofthe local community.We provide a library, English and Frenchclasses, computer training, medicalassistance programmes, environmentalprogrammes and clothing distribution toneedy Tibetans and Indians, in addition tosupporting construction and renovationprojects. See ad pg 3.WEB: www.lhaindia.orgLOCATION: Temple Rd, across from StateBank of IndiaHOURS: 9am-noon and1-5pm, Mon-FriPHONE: 220 992

Nyingtob Ling (‘Realm of Courage’) helpssupport Tibetan children from disadvan-taged families.The children work hard at making delightfulhandicrafts and paintings. They are sofriendly and LOVE visitors!LOCATION: Near Norbulingka, SidhpurPHONE: 0189 224 6366, 981 685 1841EMAIL: [email protected]

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

A N E C

The Clean Upper Dharamshala Projectwas founded in 1994 to provide awaste management system in andaround McLod Ganj. The GreenWorkers, the Handmade Recycled

Paper Factory, the Green Shop and theEnvironmental Education Centre are part ofthe Clean Upper Daramshala Project. Joinus for the weekly guided tour on Wednes-days at 3 pm at the office of CUDP!

ENVIRONMENT

Cleaners every Monday at 9.30 am & jointhem up to

Contact Magazine 13 July 2011

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