TIBETAN REFUGEE STTLEMENTS IN CHANDRAGIRI
Local Tibetan Justice Commission:-
Ogyen Tekchok Choekorling at Camp no-2
Dudul Raptenling at Camp no-3
Thupten mindoling at Camp no-4
The Settlement has established its own small Dispensary with the support of Health Department of Central Tibetan Administration. Later, the additional construction of the T.B. isolation ward, inpatient ward with 12 beds capacity having facilities of common mess and recreational center, has turned this small Dispensary into a small Hospital . The Hospital is named as “Phuntsokling Kenlha Hospital” the Hospital is provided with a qualified doctor and staff nurses.
Regional Tibetan Freedom Movement Organization
Tibetan spiritual leader and by His Holiness Dalai Lama to inaugurate Buddhist monastery at Chandragiri in Orissa's Gajapati district on Jan 12. The Tibetan spiritual leader is arriving in Odisha on January 11 on a four-day visit. The Dalai Lama will be visiting Orissa after six years.
He will inaugurate much-awaited Buddhist monastery Padmasambhava Mahavihar on January 12 in the presence of monks, devotees and disciples. It built on 10 acres at a cost of Rs 8 crore. It took almost 10 years to complete it. Mahavihar is a four-storied complex with a massive prayer hall and place of worship with 200 resident monks, mostly from the Himalayas. It would provide research facilities to the people interested in Buddhism Now, the new monastery named as Padmasabhava Mahavihar will cater to the growing needs of the Buddhists. Mahavihar is a tribute to the rich spiritual heritage, particularly to Buddhism in Orissa. It should be noted that the Tibetans came in exile and resettled here in 1966.
In 1968, Tibetans in exile set up the Rigon Thupten Mindolling Monastery at the Phuntsokling Tibetan Settlement. For his visit the state tourism minister Debi Prasad Mishra convened a preparatory meeting here to oversee the arrangements for the smooth stay of the exiled spiritual leader for four days.
BACKGROUND
After the Chinese occupation of Tibet in the year 1959, His Holiness along with about 85,000 Tibetans left Tibet to seek political refuge in India. The Govt. of India received him and the Tibetan refugees warmly. After a year’s stay at Mussorie, His Holiness has moved to Dharmsala and made it as his permanent resident during the period in exile and established exile Government “Central Tibetan Administration of His Holiness the Dalai Lama”. His Holiness has worked out a long-term strategy to establish the rehabilitation centre in the shape of Settlement or Community, which allow the Tibetans to perpetrate their language, traditions and to preserve the National identity.
Since majority of the refugees had been either farmer or nomads, His Holiness and the CTA hoped and requested the Govt. of India to resettle the Tibetans in agricultural based settlement. Accordingly, the Govt. of India has very kindly supported the strategy of His Holiness and CTA and was able to establish about 54 Refugee Settlemnets in India, Nepal and Bhutan. Out of 54, 26 are agricultural based, 17 are agro-industrial and 11 are handicraft-based settlements. Phuntsokling Settlement of Chandragiri is one of the agricultural based settlements among them.
The Phuntsokling Tibetan Refugee Settlement in Chandragiri was established in the year 1963 to rehabilitate about 2400 Tibetan Refugees.
The Govt. of Orissa has very kindly welcomed the Tibetan Refugees in their states and allotted a land of about 2500 Acres on the long-term lease basis. So that the Tibetans could cesure food, shelter and means of livelihood to develop economically self-supporting community during the period in exile. Out of the 2500 about 608 acres were used in housing construction and about 1892 acres are being used as the agricultural land.
Presently there are about 4000 Tibetans residing in the Phuntsoking Tibetan Refugee Settlement. The Tibetans speaks Tibetan Language, The present scripts is developed during the reign of 33rd Dharma King Songtsen Gompo in 7th Century. His Minister Thu-mi-Sambhota designed the Tibetan script on the basis of “Gupta Brahmi script” then prevalent in India.
Administration Structure of the Settlement:-Local Tibetan Justice Commission:-
The judiciary power to the settlement is vested upon the Representative. He is the Chief local justice Commissioner of the settlement as per provision laid down in the charter of Central Tibetan Administration of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
Local Tibetan Assembly:-
The Assembly is the highest elected legislative organ of the settlement. The Assembly consists of 20 members, elected amongst the people of the Settlement.
The important functions of the Assembly are to approve the annual budget of the
Central Tibetan Administration’s branch Offices like Representative Office etc; and also to approve the new policies proposed by the Offices.
Any Tibetan who has reached the age of 25 can stand for the election to the Assembly without any discrimination of Sex, religion and social origin. The terminal year of the member is for three years. Like wise every Tibetan who has reached the age of 18 years is enfranchised without any discrimination as above.
Representative Office:-
Though Local Tibetan Assembly is the highest Legislative organ of the Settlement, this does all the execution. Representative is the head of the Settlement. The “Central Tibetan Administration of His Holiness appoints him for the terminal period of 3-5 years. The Office is established especially to care for the welfare of the people.
For the effective administration, the settlement is divided into five camps each one having their own elected leader. The camp leaders are the most important link between the Representative and the peoples.
In every important decision-marking, the 5 camp leaders, President-Local Tibetan Assembly, President-Tibetan Freedom Movement, and President of both the Regional Tibetan Youth Congress and Regional Tibetan Women’s Association assist him.
Though the Representative Office is answerable to all the Departments and other independent Head Offices of the CTA, it is directly under the observation of Department of Home.
Multi-purpose Tibetan co-operative Society:-
After the completion of transit camps, lands were leveled for the cultivations. The need of the co-operative society was felt to assist the farmers to acquire seeds, fertilizers, tractorizatoin and ultimately to help them to sell the produce at competitive price.
The Multi-Purpose Tibetan Co-operative Society was formed on 27-5-1966 under the Registration Act (Rule 10) of Government of Orissa. The management of the Co-operative Society is being carried out in accordance with by law of the Society. The members of the Board of Directors are elected every three years. Annual General Meeting is guiding the function 0f the Board of Directors from time to time and day-to-day activities of the society are entrusted upon the secretary.
Tractor Section and Workshop:-
Being an agriculture based settlement this section is significantly needed. The tractor section and workshop is a branch of the Multi-purpose Tibetan Co-operative Society. The section provides tractor facility to the settlers from harrowing the land to the thrashing of crops.
Every minor and major repairs of the tractor are being done in the workshop itself by the section mechanics.
Handicraft Centre:-
This is also a branch of the Multi-purpose Tibetan Co-operative Society. The Handicraft Center was established and separately registered as Tibetan Handicrafts Co-operative Society, LTD. The society was established to preserve the age-old silk in traditional carpet weaving and to provide an additional income to the farmers.
Econimical Structure:-
Since the Phuntsokling Tibetan Refugee Settlement of Chandragiri is an agricultural settlement more than 70% of the populations are engaged in agriculture.
The main occupation of the people is agriculture. The success of agriculture completely depends on the mercy of the Monsoon; none of the land is irrigated.
Education:-
His Holiness the Dalai Lima had given a paramount importance to the education of the Tibetan Children. He had envisioned a separate school for the Tibetan to infuse and instill values of Tibetan culture and history in conjunction with modern education, The Central Government of India has very kindly consented to fund separate schools for the Tibetan Children .Hence , “Central Tibetan Schools Administration “ was set up exclusively to look after Tibetan Children’s educational needs under “Human Resources Development Department Government of India .Since then “ Central Schools for Tibetans “ have come into existence on every Tibetan settlement . Today there are about 85 residential and non-residential schools in India, Nepal and Bhutan.
Central Schools for Tibetan, Chandragiri is one among them and is located at Lobarsingh camp-3 this is the main school, having classes from VIth to Xth .Besides this, there are two other Branch Schools one at Camp no-5 and another at camp no-3. The settlement is also facilitated with Pre-primary schools.
The Representative Office runs Creche / Montessori at each camp .The Office has provided School Hostel facility to the poor and needy students and also to those who has to cross 4-5 Km daily to reach the school, The School Hostel is located by the side of the Main School.
Religion and Socio-cultural Activity
Religion plays a major role as far as culture and tradition are concerned .The Tibetans are followers of Budhist Religion. The Tibetans are peace loving and compassionate in nature .The Tibetan monks and runs wear red and maroon robes as their dress. All the camps have their own monastery / temples, while they rituals. The monasteries are –
The Tibetans are very rich in socio-culture and they have been trying to keep their own rich culture in the society. Majority of the Tibetans are living with the join family system. They have own dress and costume. They put on their own traditional costumes and perform traditional/folk dances during the festivals and functions. The children are also participates very actively on such occasions.
Health The Settlement has established its own small Dispensary with the support of Health Department of Central Tibetan Administration. Later, the additional construction of the T.B. isolation ward, inpatient ward with 12 beds capacity having facilities of common mess and recreational center, has turned this small Dispensary into a small Hospital . The Hospital is named as “Phuntsokling Kenlha Hospital” the Hospital is provided with a qualified doctor and staff nurses.
The Hospital also provides dental services to the people their dental section.
The Tibetan Medical Centre is also rendering parallel health services to our settlers. The medicines are purely herbal and have been prepared on the basis of the Ancient Tibetan Ayurveda medicine. Elderly citizens of the settlement are receiving free treatment from this center. The head of the Center” Tibetan Medical Astro- Institution” is seated at Dharamsala, H.P.
Both the medical services are also equally available to all the nearby local tribal people.
The Organization was established in the year 1972 and the main objective of this organization is to voice Freedom in all forums of the world arena and collect fund for the functioning of the Exile Government seated at Dharamsala (H.P.)
The Head Office of the Tibetan Freedom Movement Organization is in Dharamsala.
Old People’s Home
The Representative Office also runs a charitable Old People’s Home at Chandragiri. The Home was established under the guidance of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The Home was established especially to provide supports to the senior citizens who have no one to look after them. The Home has a common Kitchen, a dining hall and a prayer hall.
Regional Tibetan Youth Congress and Regional Tibetan Women’s Association
Though these two organizations are Non-governmental in nature, it plays a great role in spreading awareness among the younger generations of the community about their exile cause. They also organize peace procession from time to create awareness and to seek justice in field of Tibetan Freedom cause.
The Head Office of both the Organizations have at Dhsaramsala (H.P.)He will inaugurate much-awaited Buddhist monastery Padmasambhava Mahavihar on January 12 in the presence of monks, devotees and disciples. It built on 10 acres at a cost of Rs 8 crore. It took almost 10 years to complete it. Mahavihar is a four-storied complex with a massive prayer hall and place of worship with 200 resident monks, mostly from the Himalayas. It would provide research facilities to the people interested in Buddhism Now, the new monastery named as Padmasabhava Mahavihar will cater to the growing needs of the Buddhists. Mahavihar is a tribute to the rich spiritual heritage, particularly to Buddhism in Orissa. It should be noted that the Tibetans came in exile and resettled here in 1966.
In 1968, Tibetans in exile set up the Rigon Thupten Mindolling Monastery at the Phuntsokling Tibetan Settlement. For his visit the state tourism minister Debi Prasad Mishra convened a preparatory meeting here to oversee the arrangements for the smooth stay of the exiled spiritual leader for four days.
Cultural designs of God
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