07 September 2006
Kalachakra held in Amdo
Phayul reports that the 8th Aala Dewatsang has been able to go ahead with his first Kalachakra teaching in Gansu (in the traditional Tibetan province of Amdo) after the Chinese authorities withdrew permission for the ceremony to take place earlier in the year. The organisers of the ceremony had obtained the necessary permission from both the Chinese Central Government and Gansu Provincial Government but this permission was suddenly revoked by the Provincial Government on 14 June, which cited various reasons, such as transfer of officials, busy meeting schedules, etc. At the time it was thought that the date of the ceremony, 06 July, the Dalai Lama’s birthday, was politically sensitive and this is why permission was withdrawn. The ceremony, held between 03 and 07 September was organised and sponsored by 12 different community groups in the region, and over 150,000 people from Gansu province, Sichuan province and Qinghai province were in attendance. The area where the ceremony was held, Keguthang near Xitsang Gersel Monastery, (also known as Xitsang Gompa Ganden Shedrup Chokhorling), in Xitsang Township, Luchu County, Kanlho Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, was said to be heavily policed.