Like last year, we organised pilgrimage for those senior citizens in Dharamsala who hardly gets any opportunity to go for pilgrimage either because they have no one who would take them for such pilgrimage or who doesn’t have the financial capability to go for such a tour.
We started our journey to Tso Pema (Rewalsar) on 20th April 2019 with a group of nine elders. Tso Pema has huge religious importance to the Buddhists due to its association with Guru Padmasambhava. It is believed that Guru Padmasambhava has sent months meditating in one of the caves there. The lake, after which the place has been named, is believed to have been naturally formed when the King of Mandi tried to burn him alive suspecting his relationship with the king’s daughter.
To make t easier for the elders this time, we decided to spend two nights in Tso Pema so that the elders can get sufficient rest and time to circumambulate the lake. They visited different holy sites in the region and on their way back, they were taken to Zongsar Institute of Higher Buddhists Studies at Chauntra and Sherabling Monastery in the jungle close to Bir.
They thoroughly enjoyed the trip and we felt blessed to have got the opportunity to bring smiles to the faces of these elders.
Unfortunately one of the elders who were with us last year was not there this time as she died just few weeks before we made this trip.
We hope and pray that they can all be with us next time when we make such trip.
We thank Tibet Charity Denmark with whose support we are able to do the kind of things we do for the elders and needy.