Comic tribute to Dalai Lama on his 81st b’day

Lalit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, July 6

As the Dalai Lama turns 81 today, a special tribute was paid to him by Hindi author Vijay Kranti by releasing a cartoon book illustrating the life of the Tibetan spiritual leader.

The author today released, a first of its kind, a cartoon book in Hindi illustrating the life of the Dalai Lama at an official ceremony held at the main temple to mark his birthday. The book was released at McLeodganj in the absence of the Dalai Lama.

The Dalai Lama and the leader of Tibetan people in exile, Sikyong, Lobsang Sangay were in Bailakuppe in Karnataka today, where birthday celebrations of the Dalai Lama is to take place. In McLeodganj, the seat of the Tibetan government in exile, a small cultural function marked the 81st birthday of the Dalai Lama.

Vijay Kranti, a journalist and Tibetologist, while talking to The Tribune said the Hindi edition of the comic book “Dalai Lama — The Soldier of Peace” is a tribute to the Dalai Lama, Nobel Peace Laureate and Tibet’s spiritual leader, on his 81st birthday. In Hindi, the book is titled “Dalai Lama ki Saahas Gatha” (viz ‘Thrilling Story of Dalai Lama”). It tells the story of the present Dalai Lama through a colourful, long and interesting sequence of comic-style sketches, drawn and painted by famous Tibetan illustrator Sodhon. The book tells the story of Tibet’s transformation from a secluded, peaceful and a free country to a colony of China. It tells the story of how China occupied Tibet.

The book deals with two more interesting sections of the Dalai Lama’s life story in lucid details. One section deals with how the Tibetan Lamas discovered the present Dalai Lama as a four-year-old baby reincarnation of the deceased 13th Dalai Lama. The last section is a thrilling three-week-long escape story of the Dalai Lama who managed to hoodwink a powerful Chinese army and reach India safely to receive Indian welcome and representatives of world media in March 1959.

“The focus audience of my book is Indian students and communities living around Tibetan settlements and in the neighbourhood of Tibetan establishments across India. I sincerely believe that if the Indian neighbourhoods of Tibetan settlements know the true story of the Dalai Lama and Tibetan refugee community, they will be more sympathetic towards their Tibetan neighbours and will be more forthcoming with their support for the cause,” said Kranti.