Celebrations!

July 7, 2009 | Category: Events | News by: Heather B. (volunteer)

We’re celebrating!  This year is the 3rd Anniversary of Jhamtse Gatsal, so on July 3rd and July 6th, we had some big to-dos.  We were also celebrating the birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and his 50th year in India.  We got everything cleaned up and looking nice around the community:  fresh paint on walls and columns and planters, hung colorful prayer flags, cut the grass, finished some improvement projects – like new chalkboards, and cleaned and scrubbed until everything shone.  Costumes were fixed up and new accessories made.  The children learned new dances and practiced day and night.  Invitations and banners and decorations were made.  And lots of special food was prepared.  On the first big day it rained, but we celebrated anyway, and danced until the sun came out.  We had songs and dances in Monpa, Tibetan, Nepali, and Hindi.  The traditional costumes were colorful and beautiful.  We invited Brigadier Ashok Ambre to be the chief guest, and it was a huge success!

There are lots more pictures!  Check ‘em out in the July 2009 Celebrations Gallery.

One Comments

  1. Mark
    on July 27th, 2009
    1

    Wow, what a celebration! I wish I could have been there. I hope Lobsang brings that suit and cap back to the US with him.
    Lots of love from the US.

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