contact august 2012

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A FREE MONTHLY PUBLICATION FOR TIBETAN ISSUES & COMMUNITY INFORMATION contact magazine འེལ་གགས་ས་དེབ། VOLUME: XIV ISSUE: 8 31 AUGUST 2012 Self-Immolation Count Rises Over 50 in August Kalon Tripa Completes One Year in Office Continued on page 6 www.contactmagazine.net By Tenzin Dharpo The new leadership of the Central Tibetan Administration, headed by Kalon Tripa (Prime Minister) Dr. Lobsang Sangay, has completed its first year in office. Dr. Sangay is the first Kalon Tripa to act as political leader of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) since HH the Dalai Lama devolved political power to an elected leadership in 2011. It has been an eventful year, filled with both merit and discouragement, and numerous initiatives and projects have been launched. Developments in the field of education have garnered positive reviews. The CTA recently secured a 2 million dollar education grant from the U.S. government this year. Additionally, a proposal to the Indian Government for transfer of Indian- run Central Schools for Tibetans to the CTA’s administration has been accepted, and the transfer will be complete in 2014. A strong focus has also been placed on domestic innovation with the introduction of new initiatives within the CTA and the global Tibetan community. Programs like the CTA’s Recruitment Training Program, the Tibet Policy Institute, Tibet Corps, the Tibetan Medicare system, and the recent agreement with the Indian government for a relaxed Registration Certificate (R.C.) extension permit for Tibetans residing in India are all products of the administration’s efforts to promote self-sufficiency in Continued on page 7 By Paula Canon The ongoing wave of Tibetan self-immolations worsened this month, with more protests centered in the Ngaba region of Eastern Tibet. On August 6th, Lobsang Tsultrim, a native of Ngaba, set himself on fire near Kirti Monastery. He died from his injuries the same night. The following day, August 7th, Dolkar Kyi, mother of two children aged 5 and 2, passed away after self- immolating near Tsoe Monastery in the Kanlho region of eastern Tibet. There were reports that two monks from Tsoe were arrested later that night by Chinese authorities on charges of sheltering her body inside the monastery. Just three days later, on August 10th, 24 year-old Choepa, set himself on fire at the small nomadic village of Meuruma in Ngaba. Chinese security personnel arrived at the scene within minutes, doused the flames, and took him away. He died the same day, according to Kanyag Tsering, a researcher at the Kirti Monastery. Choepa had been involved with a massive candlelight vigil and Dr. Lobsang Sangay and fellow Kashag members on 8 August Lobsang Tsultrim, 21, self-immolated August 6th.Dolkar Kyi, mid-20’s, self-immolated August 7th.

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Recognized by Lonely Planet and other international travel resources, Contact has been a popular source for Tibetan issues and community information in Dharamsala for over 14 years. It is one of the longest running Tibetan publications in the area and provides local residents and international visitors with news and resources relevant to the Dharamsala community. In addition to containing Tibetan issues, international news and local information, Contact aspires to bring the West and East together in a meaningful and beneficial way. 700 copies are printed per issue and distributed in the greater Dharamsala area and will soon extend to a variety of diplomatic missions across India, as well as popular tourist destinations like Goa, Delhi, and Manali.

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Page 1: Contact August 2012

A Free Monthly PublicAtion For tibetAn issues & coMMunity inForMAtion

contact magazine

འབྲེལ་གཏུགས་དུས་དེབ།Volume: XIV Issue: 8

31 AUGUST 2012

Self-Immolation Count Rises Over 50 in August

Kalon Tripa Completes One Year in OfficeContinued on page 6

www.contactmagazine.net

By Tenzin Dharpo The new leadership of the Central Tibetan Administration, headed by Kalon Tripa (Prime Minister) Dr. Lobsang Sangay, has completed its first year in office. Dr. Sangay is the first Kalon Tripa to act as political

leader of the Central Tibetan Admin is t ra t ion (CTA) since HH the Dalai Lama devolved political power to an elected leadership in 2011. It has been an eventful year, filled with both merit and discouragement,

and numerous initiatives and projects have been launched. Developments in the field of education have garnered positive reviews. The CTA recently secured a 2 million dollar education grant from the U.S. government this year.

Additionally, a proposal to the Indian Government for transfer of Indian-run Central Schools for Tibetans to the CTA’s administration has been accepted, and the transfer will be complete in 2014. A strong focus has also been placed on domestic innovation with the introduction of new initiatives within the CTA and the global Tibetan community. Programs like the CTA’s Recruitment Training Program, the Tibet Policy Institute, Tibet Corps, the Tibetan Medicare system, and the recent agreement with the Indian government for a relaxed Registration Certificate (R.C.) extension permit for Tibetans residing in India are all products of the administration’s efforts to promote self-sufficiency in

Continued on page 7

By Paula Canon The ongoing wave of Tibetan self-immolations worsened this month, with more protests centered in the Ngaba region of Eastern Tibet. On August 6th, Lobsang Tsultrim, a native of Ngaba, set himself on fire near Kirti Monastery. He died from his injuries the same night. The following day, August 7th, Dolkar Kyi, mother of two children aged 5 and 2, passed away after self-immolating near Tsoe Monastery in the Kanlho region of eastern Tibet. There were reports that two monks from Tsoe were arrested later that night by Chinese authorities on charges of sheltering her body inside the monastery. Just three days later, on August 10th, 24 year-old Choepa, set himself on fire at the small nomadic village of

Meuruma in Ngaba. Chinese security personnel arrived at the scene within minutes, doused the flames, and took him away. He died the same

day, according to Kanyag Tsering, a researcher at the Kirti Monastery. Choepa had been involved with a massive candlelight vigil and

Dr. Lobsang Sangay and fellow Kashag members on 8 August

Lobsang Tsultrim, 21, self-immolated August 6th. Dolkar Kyi, mid-20’s, self-immolated August 7th.

Page 2: Contact August 2012

ContaCt magazIne 2 august 2012

Mission Statement: Lha is a resource of education and knowledge that provides meaningful, multi-leveled social and educational services for the benefit of others. Background: Lha is a Tibetan grassroots nonprofit based in Dharamsala, India. It is one of the largest social work organizations providing vital resources for Tibetan refugees, the local Indian population, and people from the Himalayan regions. Lha offers free English, French and Chinese classes, cultural exchange programs, IT classes, vocational training, health and environmental

Social ServiceS-volunteering-DonationS

ContaCt magazine is a free monthly publication of Lha Charitable Trust. It contains Tibetan issues, international news and local information that aspires to bring the West and East together in a meaningful and beneficial way. 700 copies are printed per issue and distributed in the greater Dharamsala area and (in the future) in Delhi, Rishikesh, Manali, Goa, and various diplomatic missions to India.Contact keeps readers up-to-date on current issues and events, and provides networking, education and volunteer opportunities, as well as social services information. Contact staff and contributors hope you will enjoy and benefit from our modest efforts to build a community through communication. May peace and love prevail!

Guidelines for submission:Contact welcomes submissions of articles, news and photography. We also gladly accept information about upcoming events, volunteer work and special projects. All material intended for publication in Contact must besubmitted by the 20th of each month. Your letter may not be printed if it is unsigned, illegible, slanderous or malicious. We reserve the right to edit submissions for spelling, grammar and length. Send your material via email to [email protected]

Remember:The articles, stories and other material in Contact represent the views of the authors and not necessarily the views of the Contact editing staff.Make contact: If you would like to contact Contact, call Lobsang Rabsel at 981-615-5523 or the Lha office at Temple Road (ph. 01892-220992). All comments on this issue should be submitted by email to [email protected] to find Contact:Contact is available at many places around McLeod Ganj including the Lha office, libraries, travel agencies, hotels, restuarants and shops.

awareness education, distribution of clothes and medicine, a community kitchen, and many other programs and activities. Through rehabilitation resources and social and educational services, Lha facilitates an easy transition for the Tibetan refugee community to India. On a daily basis, Lha serves over 250 people, hosts between 15 and 25 volunteers and provides up to 20 different services, including on average 50 nutritious meals per day for financially disadvantaged people.

For more information about Lha, please visit: www.lhasocialwork.org

about lha & contact magazine

Become a Sponsor for Lha’s Soup KitchenOn 6 July, 2011, Lha opened its community soup kitchen at its new building, Ahimsa House. This is the first soup kitchen in Dharamsala and serves low-cost and nutritious meals to the Tibetan refugee community. 40-50 needy refugees can take advantage of this service every day for a nominal fee of 15 rupees per person, per meal. Meals are completely free for those who cannot afford to pay. The kitchen’s primary objective is to provide refugees with low-cost and nutri-tious meals while educating them about healthy eating and living. The kitchen will also serve as a space where refugees can receive formal training for the service and resaurant industry.

lha CharItable trustInstItute for soCIal Work & eduCatIon

Sponsor an Issue of Contact Magazine!If you would like to sponsor an issue of Contact Magazine, please contact us. This space would be used to present your photo, profile and any message you want to share with the community and visitors. We will thank you for many lifetimes!

Page 3: Contact August 2012

ContaCt magazIne 3 august 2012

Lha welcomed three cultural exchange groups to Dharamsala in July - the first from Kentucky, the second from Lifeworks International, and the third from Loyola University in New Orleans, USA. These groups explored the Dharamsala area and took advantage of opportunities to take yoga and Tibetan cooking courses, study Tibetan Buddhism, and visit notable sites around the area. Each of the groups participated in Lha’s Mutual Learning Partner program. Meeting every day with a member of the Tibetan refugee community, they shared their stories and helped their partners with English and other tutoring – all while learning firsthand about their partners’ daily experience of life in exile. Lha thanks each of the July groups for contributing their positive energy and experience to our community. We hope to see many of these new friends again in McLeod Ganj very soon.

EditorKatie YoutzSub-EditorTenzin Dharpo Assistant EditorTenzin YountenLayout DesignTamdin YangzomCirculation ManagerLobsang RabselPublished byLha Charitable Trust

Web: www.lhasocialwork.orgwww.contactmagazine.netPhone: 91(0)1892-220992Email: [email protected]

Printed at Imperial Printing, Dharamsala Phone: 222390

contact magazine

འབྲེལ་གཏུགས་དུས་དེབ།

about lha & contact magazine

MASSAGEComplete physical and mental relaxation and stress reduction with re-vitalizing techniques of deep tissue and acupressure with a professional therapist. TIBETAN LANGUAGE CLASSLearn more about the Tibetan people, culture, and Buddhism by learning the Tibetan language! Beginner and intermediate class levels with qualified teachers for individuals and small groups.TIBETAN COOKING CLASSIndividuals and small groups can learn to prepare a variety of traditional and modern vegetarian Tibetan foods including momo, thukpa and Tibetan bread with a qualified teacher. TIBETAN ARTS CLASS Learn the basic traditional Tibetan form of painting, drawing, and how to use color for individuals and small groups with a qualified artist. YOGA For sound physical, mental and emotional development we offer Sivananda and Hatha yoga for beginners with a qualified teacher for small groups.

Long- or short-term, skilled or unskilled volunteers needed.• English conversa-tion, Mon – Fri, 4pm – 5pm• English, French, Spanish, German and Chinese teach-ers & tutors• Computer teachers• Web designers and IT professionals• IT professionals• Journalists, writers & librarians• Environmental professionals

• Medical & health-care professionals• Fundraisers & grant writers• Project profes-sionals• Chefs & cooks• Human rights & legal professionals• Personal Assistant (PA)• Yoga teachers & massage therapists• And much more!

Lha offers you the opportunity to share your knowledge and skills with the local Tibetan, Indian, and Himalayan communities whilst gaining hands-on experience working with a social work organization. Lha volunteers will develop friendships, learn about issues facing the Tibetan refugee community, and become immersed in the fascinating cultures of the people they are serving.

Lha collects all kinds of donations in the form of clothing, shoes, books, and language, computer and medical supplies, as well as any other useful items.

Monetary donations are extremely helpful and are greatly appreciated, large or small.

For information on cost, times and/or registration, please visit the Lha office (Mon-Sat: 9:00am-12:00pm & 1:00-5:00pm) on

Temple Road.

Email: [email protected], Phone :(0) 1892-220992.

*All donations and fees from Lha classes and services directly benefit

Lha community social work projects.

lhA trAveler services & volunteer oPPortunities Classes Volunteer Donate

Cultural Exchange Programs at Lha

Page 4: Contact August 2012

ContaCt magazIne 4 august 2012

news & issues

Urgent Press Release from the Kashag The recent conflict between the Buddhist and Muslim communi-ties of Myanmar (Burma) has cre-ated some misinterpretation and misunderstanding about Tibetans, and led to some unfortunate inci-dents. The misunderstanding about Tibetans has arisen mainly from the misuse of a photo of Tibetan monks which appeared in different websites about violence against Muslims in Burma. The photo of Tibetan monks was in fact about the funeral during the devastating earthquake in Yushul in eastern Ti-bet, in April 2010. During the earthquake, hun-dreds of Tibetans died and given the urgency, a mass funeral for the dead was performed by Tibetan monks. So there should not be any misinterpretation and misunder-standing about those photos.

Kalon Tripa, during his recent visit to south India, met Chief Minister of Karnataka, prominent people of the state, and security of-ficials and briefed them about this issue. The Tibetan Settlement Officers should visit and meet prominent Muslim leaders including religious leaders and members of state as-sembly to apprise them of the real information on the issue. Muslim leaders should be in-

formed about the historically good relationship between Tibetan Mus-lims and Buddhists, particularly the consistent commitment and advice of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to promote religious harmony dur-ing his visits around the world, his pilgrimage to mosques, and his efforts to strengthen ties with Muslim religious leaders. They should be also informed about the sadness expressed by His Holiness the Dalai Lama on the recent vio-lence in Assam. His statement can be viewed on the official website of the CTA. We want to thank all our Mus-lim friends and Indian authorities for helping us in clearing the mis-understanding and calm the situa-tion.

The KashagDharamsala

16 August 2012

Various media and social websites have used this 2010 photo in reports on the recent violence in Myanmar

Page 5: Contact August 2012

ContaCt magazIne 5 august 2012

news & issues

US Congressmen Urge International Conference on Tibet

By Katie Youtz As the number of Tibetan self-immolations continues to grow, two US Congressmen have is-sued an open letter to Secretary of State Hilary Clinton urging her to “undertake stronger, more coordi-nated, visible, international diplo-matic steps to reverse the crisis in Tibet.” James P. McGovern (D) of Massachusetts and Frank R. Wolf (R) of Virginia issued the letter on August 9th as a means of express-ing concern over the humanitarian situation in Tibet and the increas-ing frequency with which these fi-ery protests are occurring. In their joint statement, the two congressmen suggest that the US host an international conference on the issue, perhaps as early as September 2012 at the next UN General Assembly meeting. “We are very aware that US of-ficials regularly discuss Tibet and many other human rights issues with like-minded governments. However, more visible, public, and coordinated diplomacy is neces-sary for the Chinese government to feel pressure to alter its conduct.” The letter also proposes that the

US hold periodic, public meetings with partner nations to establish a contact group for Tibet, much like the “Friends of Syria” group formed earlier this year to address the growing violence between ci-vilian forces and the Syrian gov-ernment. The creation of such a coalition would facilitate an inter-national dialogue on the situation in Tibet, bringing it into the spot-light at global forums. It would also allow for multilateral coordi-

nation on one of the most sensitive issues individual nations face in their foreign relations with China. The idea for an international contact group on Tibet is not a new one. In October of 2011, Stu-dents for a Free Tibet and the In-ternational Tibet Support Network

began writing to members of Congress, as well as to par-liamentarians from countries around the world, urging them to create a focus group to ad-dress the deteriorating situation on the Tibetan plateau. Then, in July 2012, the US State Depart-ment issued its annual Interna-tional Religious Freedom Re-port, citing China as a nation of “particular concern” and link-ing repressive government poli-cies to the self-immolations of

“at least 12 Tibetans in 2011.” A subsequent report by the US Congressional-Executive Com-mission on China, released August 24th, maintained that the increas-ing wave of self-immolations is “concurrent with increasing Chi-nese Communist Party and govern-ment use of legal measures to re-press and control core elements of Tibetan culture, and with the fail-ure of the China-Dalai Lama dia-logue process to achieve any sign of progress.” As August 2012 brought the to-tal count to more than 50 Tibetans who have set themselves on fire since 2009, Congressmen McGov-ern and Wolf’s letter and the con-cern it expresses is timely. “The situation is unambiguous-ly deteriorating and none of these actions comport with the Chinese government’s rhetoric of respect for the rights of ethnic minorities, religious freedom, or a quest for a ‘harmonious society’ in the re-gion,” they asserted. “As the United States continues to ‘pivot’ towards Asia, it is impor-tant that the US demonstrate that it is not deaf to the desperate appeals for help and support emanating from Tibetans.”

Congressmen James P. McGovern (D) and Frank R. Wolf (R)

Congressman Wolf meeting with HH the Dalai Lama in 2009 - Photo from Phayul.com

Page 6: Contact August 2012

ContaCt magazIne 6 august 2012

news & issues

Self-Immolation Count Rises Over 50 in August

demonstration in Meuruma on January 23rd. Chinese security forces had hunted for him, but he managed to elude capture until the day of his protest. On August 13 two more protesters, identified as Lungtok, a 20 year-old monk from Kirti monastery, and Tashi, a 21 year-old former monk, set themselves on fire. They were protesting Chinese policies near Kirti Monastery on the main road in Ngaba, now referred to as the “Martyr’s street” due to the high number of self-immolations that have been taken place there. Lungtok died hours later and Tashi passed away the following day. The dual immolations triggered clashes between local Tibetans and Chinese police, resulting in one protester being beaten to death and a large number severely injured. Police arrested three monks –Lobsang Senge, 19, Tenga Yarphel, 18, and Namse, 18– during a night raid at Gyalron Tsodun Kirti Monastery in

the Barkham region, and took them to an unknown location. In memory of those who have self-immolated since 2009, a prayer service was held in Dharamsala at the Tsuglagkhang temple on August 16th, attended by officials of the Central Tibetan Administration. In a statement, the Department of Religion and Culture expressed its “deep condolence and solidarity with all those Tibetans who have sacrificed their lives for the just cause of Tibet.” Kalon Tripa Doctor Lobsang Sangay renewed his appeal to the international community to pay attention to this surge of Tibetan self-immolations. He called for an international delegation to be sent to Tibet to investigate the causes of these protests and for unrestricted access of international media to the region. Dr Sangay emphasized the need for persistence and forward-thinking, stating that, “as a human being one should remain always

hopeful –and with so many changes in Arab countries and Aung San Suu Kyi freed, there are reasons to be hopeful.” Yet on August 28th, two more self-immolations were confirmed in Ngaba. Lobsang Kelsang, an 18 year-old monk from Kirti Monastery, and Damchoe, a 17 year-old former monk, reportedly shouted protests against Chinese government policies before being taken away to a local hospital where both succumbed to their injuries. Damchoe was the younger brother of Tenzin Choedron, the nun from Mamae nunnery in Ngaba who self-immolated in February of this year. Chinese authorities have labeled the self-immolators as terrorists, outcasts, criminals, and mentally ill people, and accuse the Dalai Lama of encouraging the burnings. As tension continues to mount and the situation remains unresolved, rights groups suggest that this wave of burnings may continue until the grievances in Tibetan areas are meaningfully addressed.

Continued from page 1

Page 7: Contact August 2012

ContaCt magazIne 7 august 2012

news & issues

Seen through the eyes of a foreigner interested in Tibetan Buddhism and culture, Dharamsala—the home of His Holiness the Dalai Lama— always evoked some special, unique and spiritual feeling in me. Hav- ing spent the past eight years with various studies and readings about Tibet, I was very eager to meet Ti-betan people and to become useful to their community.

Given my experience with de- velopment issues and my current studies, I decided in January 2012 that I would come to McLeod Ganj and make my long-term dream a reality. Among all organizations that I contacted, Lha provided me with the handiest and most practical infor-mation. Soon after our first emails, I felt attached and could not wait to arrive here. Watching videos, reading articles, and imagining my-self walking the streets of McLeod Ganj made me feel already involved with the Tibetan community.

I spent my days visiting the of- fices of Tibetan NGOs engaged in

political, social and human rights issues. I received the most welcoming approach and I am very grateful to all people who were always here for my never-ending questions. Thanks to you, I got on a new path to know you better, not merely from books and teachings, but by getting some real-life experience. Through my en-gagement, I aim to offer a long-term assistance to Lha and to do my best in the West to raise further aware-ness about the Tibetan cause. I praise Tibetan culture very much and I admire your determination to fight for your identity. Given your uniqueness and spiritualism, I urge you not to change for the political games of the

Dharamsala Celebrates India’s 65th Independence Day

Kalon Tripa Completes One Year in OfficeContinued from page 1

the Tibetan exile community. The area where the new leadership has put much of its effort but which has, unfortunately, born fewer concrete results is the establishment of a medium of communication between the exile government and its Chinese counterparts. Despite appointing a task force committee for the furtherance of dialogue and angling the majority of the CTA’s media and global outreach operations – both direct and indirect – towards Beijing, the response from China has hardly been encouraging and seems, so far, to be a one-way effort. On the other hand, the priority of keeping the spot light on the Tibetan issue has been fruitful as the global media has shown genuine interest, put out accurate reports, and published inspired journal articles on the current

Tibetan situation. This year’s extensive foreign visits by the Kalon Tripa and members of the Kashag have influenced resolutions being passed in the US Senate and the European Parliament, and as many as one hundred Japanese parliamentarians issuing a public appeal to China to end repressive policies in Tibet. The 8th of August 2012 marked the one-year anniversary of Dr. Sangay’s tenure as Kalon Tripa. It began with an audience with the state oracles Gadhong and Tsering Chen-nga, followed by a press conference and later a solidarity prayer ceremony for the people still in Tibet. “I would like to express my deepest appreciation to the governments and people across the world, particularly our kind host, India, for their support,” the Kalon Tripa stated in an open letter

to the public. “I pray for the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. We are profoundly grateful for his continued presence and guidance. Finally, to my fellow Tibetans in and outside Tibet, I want to reiterate the current Kashag’s commitment to fulfill our cherished goal of freedom for the Tibetan people, and the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Tibet.” With so many new initiatives in the works, the new administration’s first year has been one of hard work towards future goals, with many important successes. Dr. Sangay’s motto, it seems, is not to let any stone remain unturned. We Tibetans look forward to witnessing the progress of these projects in the years to come.

By Tenzin Younten The 15th of August commemo-rates India’s independence from British rule and its birth as a sov-ereign nation. This day is observed all over India, in every school and college, with flag-raising ceremo-nies, parades, and cultural events. The Tibetan people never lag in giving full support to the Indian government, because in this 21st century we know how it is to live without sovereignty. So to mark this very special day, every Ti-betan school in India celebrates it with a holiday and performs cul-tural shows to thank the Indian government and its citizens for their hospitality. Our Kalon Tripa, Dr. Lobsang Sangay, observed India’s 65th Independence Day at the CTA headquarters in Dharamsala, rais-ing the Indian national flag in the presence of senior CTA officials

and singing the Indian national an-them at a function at the Kashag Secretariat. Tibetans are “eternally grate-ful to the Indian government and the great people of India,” said Dr. Sangay, thanking them for being

“tremendously kind and support-ive” of Tibetans in exile for more than 50 years. Following the ceremony, the Ka-lon Tripa attended the official Inde-pendence Day celebrations at the Police Ground in Lower Dharamsa-la, where a function was organized by members of the civil society. La-doos (Indian sweets) were distrib-uted against a backdrop of Tibetan and Indian cultural performances and speeches by local Indian heads of government. Likewise, at McLeod Ganj’s TCV Day school, many students wore traditional dress and performed tra-ditional songs and dances to portray our rich traditions to the public in attendance. Tibetans in exile joyously cel-ebrated the 65th Independence Day of our host country, concluding the festivities with many promises, res-olutions, and hopes for the future.

Kalon Tripa Dr. Lobsang Sangay raises the Indian flag on 15 August - Photo from Phayul.com

Page 8: Contact August 2012

ContaCt magazIne 8 august 2012

news & issues

TYC Announces Indefinite Hunger Strike in New Delhi

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TYC members vote for the launch of the September 3rd hunger strike - Photo from tibetanyouthcongress.org

By Susie Lee On 12 August the Tibetan Youth Congress held its 43rd working committee, with 115 members rep-resenting 42 regional chapters in at-tendance. In addition to conducting educational workshops, attendees focused on addressing the most re-cent developments in the China-Tibet situation and have declared an indefinite hunger strike campaign to start on 3 September in New Delhi. Three central executives have confirmed their participation - Dhondup Lhadar, Vice President; Penpa Tsering, Organizational Sec-retary, and Jigme (Sholpa), Cultural Secretary of TYC. This is the third of a series of hun-ger strikes organized and lead by TYC. The first took place in April of 2011 in front of the United Nations building in New Delhi and lasted for

25 consecutive days. Its primary mo-tivation was to incite stronger interest and participation from the interna-tional community in the Tibet-China situation, as well as to increase media coverage of the Tibetan struggle. The second hunger strike, which lasted 30 days, took place in New York in February 2011. The strike ended after a response from the UN was issued expressing complete sup-

port for the protester’s demands and promising to do more to facilitate political and social change in Tibet. According to the TYC ‘s General Secretary, Tenzin Chokey, the up-coming hunger strike is intended as an urgent reminder for international parties to act upon their promises and to start taking a proactive stance on the issue. But, more importantly, the up-coming hunger strike is going to focus on delivering a very timely message to the Tibetan community, urging Tibetans to not give up hope and to persevere in their non-violent struggle, despite the reluctance of international parties to put their sup-port into concrete actions. “As activists, we don’t have the privilege of being pessimistic,” said Tenzin Chokey. And so the struggle continues.

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Page 9: Contact August 2012

ContaCt magazIne 9 august 2012

Seen through the eyes of a foreigner interested in Tibetan Buddhism and culture, Dharamsala—the home of His Holiness the Dalai Lama—always evoked some special, unique and spiritual feeling in me. Having spent the past eight years with various studies and readings about Tibet, I was very eager to meet Tibetan people and to become useful to their community.

Given my experience with development issues and my current studies, I decided in January 2012 that I would come to McLeod Ganj and make my long-term dream a reality. Among all organizations that I contacted, Lha provided me with the handiest and most practical information. Soon after our first emails, I felt attached and could not wait to arrive here. Watching videos, reading articles, and imagining myself walking the streets of McLeod Ganj made me feel already involved with the Tibetan community.

I spent my days visiting the offices of Tibetan NGOs engaged in political, social and human rights issues. I received the most welcoming approach and I am very grateful to all people who were always here for my never-ending questions. Thanks to you, I got on a new path to know you better, not merely from books and teachings, but by getting some real-life experience. Through my engagement, I aim to offer a long-term assis-tance to Lha and to do my best in the West to raise further awareness about the Tibetan cause. I praise Tibetan culture very much and I admire your determination to fight for your identity. Given your uniqueness and spiri-tualism, I urge you not to change for the political games of the West and to keep up your values and spirits, no matter what.

Peace Flags in the Wind Visits Dharamsalanews & issues

By Katie Youtz When Miami-based middle school teacher, Joseph Vasile, set out for Dharamsala he came with a mission. Bringing a passion for teaching to Lha’s conversation classes, he also brought with him “Peace Flags in the Wind,” a large-scale art installation begun by Vasile in his own classroom back in the US. “It began as a way to show youth that although people have different cultures, religions, and backgrounds the one thing they all have in com-mon is a desire for peace. If every person creates their own flag and we string them together, then all their messages are sent out, demon-strating all their different visions of peace in one united piece of art.” Peace Flags in the Wind has held workshops all over the world, often in disaster-stricken areas like the US Gulf Coast after the 2010 oil spill or Haiti after its devastating earthquake. In July 2012, more than 500 flags

were created by members of the Dharamsala community, at work-shops held at Lha Social Work, Gu Chu Sum, Sarah College, Upper TCV, Yongling School, LIT, and the Tibet Hope Center. Vasile was even granted special permission to visit the Reception Center, where newly-arrived refugees from Tibet con-tributed their images of peace to the project. “No two flags have ever been the same,” said Vasile. “People draw what’s around them and in doing so they change the environment of the place in an uplifting, inspiring way.”

In a grand finale, the flags were hung at Tsuglagkang Temple for the celebration of HH the Dalai Lama’s 77th birthday – a great honor for all the participants. “I saw my flag, made with my own bare hands, hanging there with all the others next to the Tibetan National Flag,” said TCV student Samdup. “I was so proud. I wish all those kids and people from other countries who made flags could have been there to see it, and to feel what I felt.” For Vasile, also, it was a moving experience. “It felt like every one of the 4,000 people who contribut-ed to the exhibit was there. To hear a national anthem that’s illegal in its homeland and for all these peo-ple from around the world to have their messages, words, and sym-bols for peace there… it felt like a universal experience.”For more information or to find out how you can contribute, please visit www.jvasile.net or www.whattheflower.com.

Joseph Vasile and students from Upper TCV with their peace flags

Gu Kailai Receives Suspended Death SentenceBy Tenzin Younten The wife of former Chongqing Communist Party leader Bo Xilai, has been given a suspended death sentence after a Chinese court found her guilty of murdering British businessman, Neil Haywood. The sentence will likely be commuted to life in prison after two years, and could be further reduced for good behavior in custody. Gu Kailai was born on 15th Novem-ber, 1985, and is a Chinese lawyer and businesswoman. After receiving a Mas-ters in International Politics from Pe-king University, she went on to become an accomplished lawyer, founding the Kailai law firm in Beijing. In March 2012, Gu became embroiled in a national scandal after her hus-band’s deputy, Wang Lijung, defected

and sought refuge at the US Consulate in Chengdu. Among other allegations against her husband, Wang stated that Gu herself had been involved in a business dispute with Heywood, who died in Chongquing under suspicious circumstances. Bo Xilai was stripped of his office and has been suspended from the Politburo. Gu was placed under investigation for homicide in Heywood’s death. On 26 July she was formally charged with murdering Heywood based on what the prosecutor claimed was “ir-refutable and substantial” evidence. Chinese authorities have accused her of luring the victim to a Chongqing hotel, getting him drunk, and then poisoning him with cyanide with the help of her aide, Zhang Xiaojun. Both

Zhang and Gu were sentenced on Au-gust 20th, with Zhang receiving nine years in prison. Gu Kailai has claimed that her ac-tions were due to a “mental break-down” after learning that Heywood had threatened the safety of her son, Bo Guagur, as a result of an economic dispute between the two men. Following the verdict, the United Kingdom announced that it welcomes the investigation and said that they “consistently made clear to the Chi-nese authorities that they wanted to see the trials in this case conform to international human rights standards and for the death penalty not to be ap-plied.”

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Tibetan Headlinesnews & issues

27 AUGUST• Tulku Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, Younten Gyatso, Achok Phujhung, and Tsewang Dhondup were today award-ed with Students for a Free Tibet’s 2012 “Lhakar Award,” honoring individuals who have demonstrated “outstanding courage, innovation and dedication in their service to the Tibetan cause.”

26 AUGUST• Arvind Iyer’s debut film, Drap-chi, starring Tibetan opera singer Namgyal Lhamo, has been selected for the 28th Warsaw International Film Festival in October. The 78-minute feature will show in the “World Today” section of the festival.

24 AUGUST• A special report by the US Con-gressional-Executive Commission on China states that the continuing Tibetan self-immolations are signs of Beijing’s policy failure in Tibet, and urges the CCP to address the grievances of the Tibetan people.

22 AUGUST• The Tibetan National Sports As-sociation has announced the launch of the first inter-Tibetan school bas-ketball tournament. Students from 20 schools will compete in regional tour-naments held at TCV schools around India, with the first match to take place at TCV’s Bylakuppe campus.

20 AUGUST• Two students – Tashi Tsering, 22, and Choeyang Gonpo, 21 – have each been sentenced to three years in jail following their involvement in a student protest for Tibetan lan-guage use in schools in Qinghai Province on 14 March. Both have been convicted on charges of “ad-vocating independence for Tibet.”

17 AUGUST• Well-known Chinese contempo-rary artist and social critic, Ai Weiwei, stated in an interview with Foreign

Policy that he would be “ashamed of visiting Lhasa as Tibetans continue to burn.” Dubbed last year by Art-Review as the world’s most powerful artist, the 54 year-old continued, “I think to respect [the Tibetans] is not to touch them, to leave them alone.”

• Radio Free Asia reported that Chinese police forces have used tear gas and live ammunition to dis-perse a group of almost 1000 Tibet-ans in Choeten during a protest over a power plant suspected by locals to be a covert mining operation. A man identified as “Nyima” was killed and 6 others have been detained.

13 AUGUST• Sarah College in Dharamsa-la celebrated its 14th anniversary with a visit from the Kalon Tripa. Dr. Sangay emphasized the impor-tance of self-confidence and self-reliance in the younger Tibetan generations, and presented awards to the college’s highest achievers.

11 AUGUST• Tibet celebrated its first Olym-pic medal as 22-year-old Choeyang Kyi today won a bronze medal in the women’s 20-km race walk at the Lon-don Games. ‘‘I’m extremely honored to take part as the first representative of the Tibetans at the Olympic Games and to win a medal,’’ said Choeyang.

6 AUGUST• China has rejected a request by the Indian government to re-open a former consulate in Lhasa. Beijing has instead suggested Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan Province, as an alternative location, citing con-cerns over India’s “political motives.”

3 AUGUST• The 5th Annual International Sem-inar on Tibetan Studies opened in Bei-jing, attracting 246 scholars from 21 countries and regions. The conference will focus on economic and social development in Tibet as well as cul-tural and environmental preservation.

2 AUGUSTThe CTA held a prayer service in hon-or of Ngawang Norphel , a Tibetan who self-immolated in Kham on 20 June, at the Tsuglagkang Temple in Dharamsala. Ngawang Norphel suc-cumbed to his injuries on 31 July after 11 days in critical condition.

Chinese artist and social critic Ai Weiwei

Lhasa, Tibet’s capital city

22 year-old Ngawang Norphel

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International Headlinesnews & issues

29 AUGUST• Hurricane Isaac hit the New Or-leans area in south-eastern Louisi-ana as a Category 1 hurricane seven years to the day after the region was devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The US has declared a state of emergency along the Gulf Coast, as residents and disaster relief agen-cies prepare for the storm’s onslaught.

20 AUGUST• The government of Myanmar has formally abolished press censorship, marking a turn-around from nearly 50 years of heavy restrictions on public expression. Members of the press are hopeful but remain care-ful, as laws protecting action against editors and journalists for the con-tent of their writing are still in place.

18 AUGUST• Wikileaks founder, Julian Assange, has been formally granted asylum in Ecuador after Britain’s threat to break into the Ecuadorian embassy in London to extract him. President Rafael Correa called his decision an issue of the in-violability of embassies and a struggle against “colonialism” and “bullying.”

17 AUGUST• 34 were killed and 78 injured when police fired on a group of striking plat-inum miners in South Africa. Inquiries are being made into the incident, which was condemned by President Jacob Zuma as “shocking and unacceptable.”

15 AUGUST• India’s PM, Manmohan Singh, has characterized the country’s eco-nomic growth as an issue of national security. In his National Day speech marking 65 years since India’s inde-pendence from Britain, PM Singh warned that a lack of political con-sensus is holding back the world’s third-largest economy, keeping mil-lions of Indian citizens in poverty.

11 AUGUST• Two earthquakes, measured at magnitudes of 6.4 and 6.3 respec-tively, have rocked northern Iran leaving nearly 300 dead and 5000 injured. Thousands fled their homes as more than 40 aftershocks hit the area, destroying six villages. The Red Crescent reported that 16,000 people have been given emergency shel-ter, and rescue efforts are underway.

5 AUGUST• NASA has landed a nuclear-pow-ered mega-rover, “Curiosity,” on Mars to determine whether the planet’s en-vironment could have been favorable to microbial life. Initial images sent back to Earth show signs of past water near a mountain in the center of Gale Crater, the rover’s target destination.

3 AUGUST• North Korea has requested imme-diate food aid from the United Na-tions after flooding killed 119 people and left tens of thousands homeless. The damage to farmland exacerbates the country’s existing food short-age, ongoing since the mid 1990s. International aid groups are gather-ing supplies and donations, with the Red Cross already allocating more than $300,000 for flood victims.

2 AUGUST• Kofi Annan announced that he will resign from his post as UN Special Envoy to Syria at the end of August. Annan criticized the international community and the UN for not sup-porting his efforts to enforce a cease-fire to the conflict which has now killed over 14,000 people. His depar-ture comes two weeks after the third veto by Russia and China blocking a resolution that would have enforced his mediation efforts with sanctions.

1 AUGUST• In its annual report on internation-al religious freedom, the US State De-partment cited China as one of eight countries where religious freedom is “of particular concern,” and stated that official interference in Tibetan Buddhist traditions had contributed to the self-immolations of at least 12 Tibetans since 2011. China’s Xinhua news agency dismissed the report as being unjustified, calling it “full of prejudice, arrogance, and ignorance.”

Hurricane Isaac approaches the US Gulf Coast

Indian PM Manmohan Singh (Photo by Ricardo Stuckert)

UN Special Envoy to Syria Kofi Annan (Im-age Source: World Economic Forum)

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Central Tibetan Administration The Central Tibetan Administration serves in Dharamsala, India as the government in exile of Tibet. It is democratic with judiciary, legislative, and executive branches. Within the Executive branch there is the Kashag, consisting of the departments of Religion and Culture, Home, Education, Finance, Security, Information and International Relations and Health, and the Kalon Tripa, or Executive Chief, Dr. Lobsang Sangay. WEB: www.tibet.netLOCATION: Dharamsala – 176215PHONE: 01892-222218HOURS: Mon-Sat: 9:00 am-5:00 pmEMAIL: [email protected]

The Office of His Holiness The Dalai Lama (OHHDL)OHHDL is the personal office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The office organizes his schedule, including appointments and travel plans, diplomatic and personal correspondence, and liaises with officials of the Central Tibetan Administration. When His Holiness is in Dharamsala, his schedule includes daily religious practice and studies, meeting with private audiences, and congregating with the Tibetan Kashag and senior Tibetan governmental officials. WEB: www.dalailama.comLOCATION: Thekchen Choeling, McLeod Ganj, Dharamsala -- 176219PHONE: 01892-221343 / 221879EMAIL: [email protected]

Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC)The Tibetan Youth Congress is an advocacy and political action organization with chapters around the world. The Tibetan Youth Congress organizes cultural exhibitions, educational campaigns and social welfare activities. The organization publishes a series of periodicals and magazines on the Tibetan cause. WEB: www. tibetanyouthcongress.org LOCATION: Tipa Road, McLeod Ganj, Dharamsala -176219PHONE: 01892-221554 / 221010EMAIL:[email protected], [email protected]

Tibetan Women’s Association The Tibetan Women’s Association (TWA) conducts workshops on gender sensitization and domestic violence throughout Tibetan settlements in India, provides Tibetan women with education scholarships, and connects women with international sponsors. WEB: www. tibetanwomen.org LOCATION: Bhagsu Road, McLeod Ganj, Dharamsala – 176219PHONE: 01892-221527 / 221198EMAIL: [email protected]

Tibetan Children’s Village (TCV)The Tibetans Children’s Villages (TCVs) provides care to Tibetan children by creating a nurturing environment and fostering Tibetan values and culture while delivering a modern education. There is an Upper and Lower residential school in Dharamsala and day school in McLeod Ganj, with other branches throughout India.

WEB: www.tcv.org.inLOCATION: Dharamsala Cantt.176216PHONE: 01892-220356 / 221348EMAIL: [email protected]

Tibetan Medical & Astro. Institute (Men-Tsee-Khang)Men-Tsee-Khang is a facility for research, training and practice of traditional Tibetan medicine. Patients may seek treatment at Men-Tsee-Khang for both acute and chronic conditions. The facility provides extensive training and produces traditional pharmaceuticals. WEB: www.men-tsee-khang.orgLOCATION: Gangchen Kyishong, Dharamsala – 176215PHONE: 01892-223222EMAIL: [email protected]

Tibetan Library (LTWA)(Centre for Tibetan Studies)The Library of Tibetan Works and Archives has the purpose to restore, protect, preserve, and promote Tibetan culture in all its aspects. They offer courses in Tibetan and Hindi language and Buddhist philosophy and can provide affordable accommodation for those enrolled in two or more courses. WEB: ltwa.net, tibetanlibrary.orgLOCATION: Gangchen KyishongDharamsala - 176215PHONE: 01892-222467 / 226181HOURS: Mon-Sat: 9:00am-1:00pm, 2:00-5:00pm. Closed Sunday, Closed 2nd and 4th Saturday every monthEMAIL: [email protected]

Delek HospitalDelek Hospital is a small, Tibetan run hospital in Dharamsala. It has 20 inpatient beds, holds outpatient hours from 9am to 12pm Monday through Friday, and can handle most small procedures. Patients are responsible for a 10 Rupees registration fee, although this is waived for those who fall under the poverty line. The hospital has a pharmacy on site.WEB:www.delekhospital.org (Friends of Tibetan Delek Hospital)LOCATION: Kharadanda Road, Dharamsala -176215; Delek Clinic, Bhagsu Road, Dharamsala -176219 PHONE: 01892-222053 / 223381HOURS: Outpatient, Mon-Fri: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm; Specialist clinics, Mon-Sat: 2:00 pm-4:30 pm; Emergencies, 24 hours dailyEMAIL: [email protected]

Students for a Free Tibet (SFT)Students for a Free Tibet is an international nongovernmental organization that promotes the Tibetan cause among the non-Tibetan community. The organization attempts to build international solidarity by advocating for a free Tibet through chapter organizations at Universities around the world. WEB:www.sftindia.org, www.studentsforafreetibet.orgLOCATION: Jogiwara RoadMcLeod Ganj, Dharamsala - 176219District Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, IndiaPHONE: 01892-220589

Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy advocates for human rights and provides education on the human rights situation in Tibet. The centre publishes journals and articles, as well as conducts workshops and campaigns. WEB: www.tchrd.orgLOCATION: Top Floor, Narthang Building Gangchen Kyishong, Dharamsala - 176215PHONE: 01892-223363EMAIL: [email protected]

Gu-Chu-Sum Movement of Tibet(Ex Political Prisoners Association)Gu-Chu-Sum is a social service organization that provides financial and medical support for ex political prisoners and political activists from Tibet. In order to join Gu-Chu-Sum, one must register as a political prisoner or political activist through the Department of Security. WEB: www.guchusum.orgLOCATION: Jogibara Road, McLeod Ganj, Dharamsala -176219 PHONE: 01892-220680 / 220679EMAIL: [email protected]

Tong-Len Charitable TrustTong-Len’s mission is to help displaced communities in North India achieve a secure and

sustainable future. Tong-Len projects include educational and health programs, childhood education and sponsorship, primary and nursery tent schools, and children’s support hostels. Some volunteer opportunities available.WEB: www. tong-len.orgLOCATION: Top Floor, Bank Of Baroda Opp. Art Gallery, Kotwali Bazaar, Dharamsala-176215PHONE: 01892-223113 / 223930EMAIL: [email protected]

Tibet CharityTibet Charity provides programs to support the Tibetan community, including English and computer classes, an animal care program, and a variety of medical and educational financial support programs. WEB: www.tibetcharity.inLOCATION: Temple Road, McLeod Ganj, Dharamsala – 176219PHONE: 01892-221790 / 221877HOURS: Mon-Fri: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm EMAIL:[email protected], [email protected]

CHOICE HIV/AIDS Initiative CHOICE HIV/AIDS Initiative provides HIV/AIDS education, prevention and care services in Tibetan settlements throughout India. The services provided by CHOICE range from in-dividual counseling to organizational training. CHOICE has a sponsorship program and oc-casionally utilizes volunteers. WEB: www.choicehivaids.orgLOCATION: Arora House, 2nd Floor, Temple Road, DharamsalaPHONE: 01892-220239, 941-831-6896EMAIL: [email protected]

Charities and Organizationsaround town

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Seen through the eyes of a foreigner interested in Tibetan Buddhism and culture, Dharamsala—the home of His Holiness the Dalai Lama—always evoked some spe- cial, unique and spiritual feeling in me. Having spent

the past eight years with various studies and readings about Tibet, I was very eager to meet Tibetan people

and to become useful to their community.

Given my experience with development issues and my current studies, I decided in January 2012 that I would come to McLeod Ganj and make my long-term dream a reality. Among all organizations that I contacted, Lha provided me with the handiest and most practical information. Soon after our first emails, I felt attached and could not wait to arrive here. Watching videos, reading articles, and imagining myself walking the streets of McLeod Ganj made me feel already involved with the Tibetan community.

After spending some days in Delhi, I finally arrived to McLeod after an exciting journey on the twisting roads up to the Himalayas. The welcom-ing of Lha, their guidance and the introduction to the Tibetan society was a stunning experience for me. I knew on my first day that I was going to have a wonderful time. The four weeks I spent here were filled with an interesting mixture of official research, unofficial talks, impressions and feelings, all of which helped me to get to know Tibetans better by finding out more about the realities they face.

I spent my days visiting the offices of Tibetan NGOs engaged in po-litical, social and human rights issues. I received the most welcoming approach and I am very grateful to all people who were always here for

Kunphen Center for Substance Dependence Kunphen is a substance abuse center that provides counseling, education, and referral services to members of the Tibetan community who abuse drugs and alcohol. The organiza-tion also offers an after-care program that offers vocational skills training and job search assistance for those returning from a reha-bilitation program. Kunphen utilizes qualified volunteers to provide counseling to clients.WEB: www.kunphen.orgLOCATION: Bhagsu Road, McLeod Ganj, Dharamsala – 176219PHONE: 01892-220565EMAIL: [email protected] Dharamsala Dog RescueDharamsala Dog Rescue is in urgent need of vet volunteers, animal experts and sponsors. We are in immediate need of sponsors for two paralysed dogs that need a home, wheelchair, monthly food and medicine. Please contact us if you see an injured/sick dog. WEB: www.hnsindia.orgLOCATION: Behind the District Court Complex on Chilgari St, Lower DharamsalaPHONE: 981-622-0841EMAIL: [email protected]

Tibetan Centre for Conflict Resolution (TCCR)Tibetan Centre for Conflict Resolution is a non-profit, educational organisation dedicated to the non-violent management of conflicts in the Tibetan Community and the world as a whole.They work to promote the approaches and tools of non-violent conflict resolution and democratic processes in the Tibetan community in exile and elsewhere. WEB: http://tccr.orgLOCATION: Session Road, Gangchen Kyishong, Dharamsala 176215PHONE: 0189 222 6627EMAIL: [email protected]

National Democratic Party of TibetThe National Democratic Party of Tibet is currently the only Tibetan political party. It has around 5000 members in 36 regional chapters throughout the world.The main aim and objectives of the NDPT are to prepare for the establishment of the political party in a future Tibet, to promote democracy, to educate the Tibetan people about the significance of political parties, and to create awareness among the people about Tibetan issues. WEB: www.ndp4tibet.orgLOCATION: Dharamsala–176219EMAIL: [email protected]

The Active Nonviolence Education Center (ANEC)

ANEC facilitates trainings, workshops and open forum discussions on nonviolent strategies to help resolve disagreements and differences at all levls of human society. ANEC

welcomes volunteers from western countries to participate in informal panel discussions on ideas of regional and global peace and nonviolent strategies. Free lunch and tea for

volunteers.WEB: www.anec.org.inLOCATION: No. 262, 1st floor, Khajanchi -Mohalla, Khunyara Rd, Lower Dharamsala PHONE: 981-632-7158 / 867-990-4767EMAIL: [email protected], [email protected]

Nyingtob Ling (‘Realm of Cour-age’) Nyingtob Ling supports Tibetan children from disadvantaged families. The children work hard at making delightful handicrafts and paint-ings. They are so friendly and love to have visitors.WEB: www.nyingtobling.orgLOCATION: Near Norbulingka, SidhpurPHONE: 01892-246366, 981-685-1841EMAIL: [email protected]

Rogpa Baby Care CenterThe Rogpa Baby Care Center helps low-income Tibetan families to become self-sufficient by provid-ing free child care for infants so

their parents can work. The center needs volunteers to help with art, games, singing and

Charities and Organizationsother tasks including diaper changing.WEB: www.tibetrogpa.orgLOCATION: Near Tibetan Ashoka Guest House, Jogiwara Rd., McLeod Ganj, Dharamsala - 176219PHONE: 981-665-9549HOURS: Mon-Sat: 8:00 am-12:00 pm or 1:00 pm- 5 :00 pm (located near no.13 on map)EMAIL: [email protected]

Clean Upper Dharamsala Project Founded in 1994 to provide a waste management system in and around McLeod Ganj, the Green Workers, the Handmade Recycled Paper Factory, the Green Shop and the

Environmental Education Center are part of the Clean Upper Daramsala Project. Weekly guided tours are offered on Wednesdays at 3 pm.WEB: www.tsodhasa.orgLOCATION: Bhagsu Rd., McLeod Ganj, Dharamsala - 176219PHONE: 01892-221059EMAIL: [email protected]

around town

New PerspectivesName: Susie Lee (USA)

Job at Lha: Advanced English Teacher

As someone who’s never been to In-dia before, my arrival in Dharamsala was a whirlwind of dynamic emotions and feelings. The moment I stepped off the bus, all of my senses were taken over by sounds, sights, smells and tex-tures so unfamiliar to me that it seemed like I’d landed on a different planet. In-dia is starkly distinct from the rest of the world – especially in areas with Ti-betan settlements. Honestly, before my arrival I had a very superficial idea of what Tibetan culture amounts to. Almost imme-diately, I was immersed into a very strong-spirited community that man-ages to combine modern practices with centuries-long traditions and culture despite of all the difficulties and hard-ships it faces on a continuing basis. I was pleasantly surprised to see people walk around dressed in traditional chu-bas while holding prayer wheels and malas. I was also astonished by how much is being done in this seemingly small

town to address the Tibet-China situa-tion. From providing vocational train-ing and educational opportunities to newly-arrived Tibetan refugees to or-ganizing protests and preserving cul-tural identity… it is truly wonderful. Seeing both foreigners and locals working side-by-side in an effort to bring about justice and protect the Ti-betan population from human rights abuses is an incredible example of global effort and cross-cultural unity. It serves as a much-needed reminder that good things still happen in this world. I have been very fortunate to work as an English teacher for Lha Social Work. My students come from differ-ent places, but all share two things in common: they have been impacted by the situation in Tibet and are trying their best to start fresh and make better lives for themselves. It has truly been a privilege to hear their stories and to develop a new perspective on Tibetan life in exile.

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BUS SCHEDULE

* Times and prices may vary. Please check with the bus stand ahead of departure.

Leaving from the McLeod Ganj bus stand, unless otherwise stated: DELHI: Ordinary Bus: 4:45am, 6pm, 6:45pm, 8:15pm and 8:30pm (Rs330) Semi Deluxe Bus: 6pm (Rs355) AC Volvo Semi-Sleeper: 8pm (Rs1035) AC TATA: 8:30pm (Rs840)

AMRITSAR: Ordinary Bus: 4:45am (Rs165) *from Dharamsala

DEHRADUN: Ordinary Bus: 9pm; AC Deluxe: 5:30pm MANALI: Ordinary Bus: 5:40pm, 8:40pm *from Dharamsala

PATHANKOT: Ordinary Bus: 11am, 12:10pm, 12:30pm, 2:10pm, 3:50pm, 5pm(Rs75)

SHIMLA: Ordinary Bus: 5am, 5:30am, 6am, 8am, noon and 4:55pm (Rs235) *from Dharamsala Semi-Deluxe Bus: 8:22am, 7:45pm and 9:30pm (Rs???) *from Dharamsala

FOR BOOKINGS: Location: Ticket stand under McLLo’s, main square Hours: 10am-6pm, daily Phone: 221750 For deluxe buses, book through any travel agency.

TAXISA private taxi to Lower Dharamsala will cost you Rs 180. Cram into a jeep (from the bus

stand), and it’ll only cost you Rs10.

IMPORTANT CONTACTSAmbulance: 01892-102, 222189

Kangra Airport: 01892-232374, 232324

Bhagsu Taxi Union: 01892-221034

Tourism Office: 01892-23107

Rail Booking & Enquiry: 01892-265026

Police Superintendent: 01892-222244

Police Contact InformationLocation: Past St.John’s Church on the road to Dharamshala in Cantt. area.Phone: 221 483

Tibetan Delek Hospital Location: Gangchen Kyishong, between McLeod Ganj and Lower DharamshalaHours: Outpatient services: 9am-1pm, Mon-Sat; Specialist clinics: 2-4:30pm, Mon-Sat; Emergencies: 24-hrs, daily.phone: 222 053,223 381

Post OfficeThe McLeod Ganj Post Office is located on location: Jogiwara Rd, past Peace CafeHours: 9:30am-1pm and 2-5pm, Mon-Fri; 9:30am-noon, Sat. Phone: 221 924Parcels and money orders can be sent in the mornings only.

Library of Tibetan Works & ArchivesWEB: www.ltwa.net/libraryLOCATION: Gangchen Kyishong, between McLeod Ganj and Lower DharamsalaHOURS: Mon-Sat: 9:00-1:00pm, 2:00-5:00pmPHONE: 921-842-2467

Public Audience with HH KarmapaWEB: www.kagyuoffice.orgLOCATION: Sidhpur HOURS: Wed & Sat: 2:30pmPHONE: 981-631-5336

BUDDHIST PHILOSOPHY

4-6 Sep: Dalai Lama teachings in Dharamsala 11 Sep: World Meet for Peace and Harmony in New Delhi12 Sep: Dalai Lama’s Speech at Jamia Millia Islamia University14-18 Sep: Dalai Lama teachings in Dehradun1-4 Oct: Dalai Lama Teachings in Dharamsala14 Oct: Public Talk in Cambridge, MA, USA 15 Oct: Dalai Lama multi-disciplinary forum at MIT, Cambride, USA16 Oct: Teachings in Cambridge, MA, USA 29-31 Oct: Dalai Lama teachings in Dharamsala

UPCOMING EVENTSNaam Art GalleryLOCATION: Main Road Sidhbari DharamsalaPHONE: 9816043708

Tibet MuseumLOCATION:Near the Main Temple and the Namgyal Monastery gate, McLeod GanjHOURS: Tue-Sun: 9:00am-5:00pm

Tibet Photo Exhibit: 50 Years of Struggle and Oppression LOCATION: Gu-Chu-Sum hall on Jogiwara Rd, next to the Lung-ta Japanese RestaurantHOURS: Mon, Wed & Fri: 2:00pm-5:00pm

Kangra Art MuseumLOCATION: Near Bus Stand, Kotwali BazaarPHONE: 01892 224214HOURS: Tue-Sun: 10:00am-1:00pm & 2:00pm-5:00pm

The Tibetan Institute for the Performing Arts (TIPA)WEB: www.tibetanarts.orgLOCATION: Kotwali BazaarPHONE: 1892-221478EMAIL: [email protected]

Form Gallery LOCATION: Jogiwara Rd. near Oasis CafePHONE: 8894-060602HOURS: Daily, 12:00pm-6:00pm

ART & MUSEUMSKailash Tribal Meditation School Taught by Yogi SivadasWEB: www.yogatribe.orgLOCATION: Bhagsu Rd, nr the Green Shop HOURS: Daily, 1:00-2:00pm; Closed TuesPHONE: 981-615-0326EMAIL: [email protected]

Om Yoga, Meditation & Reiki CentreWEB: www.omyogaindia.comLOCATION: Ketan Lodge, Jogiwara RoadPHONE: 980-569-3514 EMAIL: [email protected]

Tushita Meditation CenterWEB: www.tushita.infoLOCATION: DharamkotHOURS: Mon-Sat: 9:30-11:30am PHONE: 01982-21866EMAIL: [email protected]

Vipassana MeditationWEB: www.sikhara.dhamma.orgLOCATION: DharamkotHOURS: Mon-Sat: 4:00-5:00pmPHONE: 01982-21309EMAIL: [email protected]

MEDITATION

activities & tourist info

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activities & services

Dr. Sant Marwah Clinic LOCATION: In front of Main Temple, McLeod Ganj, Dharamsala - HOURS: 9:30am-6:30pm, Closed MondayPHONE: 01892-21106, 981-602-1106EMAIL: [email protected]

Dr. Kumar Ayurvedic and PanchkarmaWEB: www.kumarayurveda.comLOCATION: Hotel Surya Rd., opposite thethe Club HouseHOURS: 9:00am-2:00pm & 2:30-7:00pm; Emergencies: 24 hrs dailyPHONE: 8894492837EMAIL: [email protected]

Maanav Health ClinicLOCATION: Main SquareHOURS: 10:00am-12:30pm and 2:00-5:00pmPHONE: 941-815-5795EMAIL: [email protected]

Men-Tsee-Khang LOCATION: Between McLeod Ganj and Lower DharamshalaPHONE: 01892-22618 / 223113EMAIL: [email protected]

Primary Health CentreLOCATION: Jogiwara Rd, main marketHOURS: 9:30am-4pm, Mon-Sat

HealtH ServiceS

languageS

Angel Massage CentreLOCATION: Hotel Misty Woods, 44/3 Jogiwara Rd (near Chocolate Log)- Map #1PHONE: 973-608-3627, 973-608-3554EMAIL: [email protected]

Lha Healing Oil Massage Courses & TreatmentLOCATION: Lha Office, Temple RdPHONE: 01892-20992 HOURS: Registration, 9:00am-11:00am

Om Yoga CenterWEB: www.omyogaindia.comLOCATION: Ketan Lodge, Jogiwara Rd.HOURS: Daily, 8:00-9:30pm & 4:00-5:30PMPHONE: 980-569-3514EMAIL: [email protected]

Nature Cure Health ClubShiatsu massageLOCATION: Near Tibetan Ashoka,Jogiwara RdPHONE: 941-813-0119EMAIL: [email protected]

Shiatsu & Swedish Massage LOCATION: Lha Office, Temple RdPHONE: 01892-20992

Synergy Ayuredic Massage CenterLOCATION: Near Tibetan Ashoka,Jogiwara RdPHONE: 941 80 8488EMAIL: [email protected]

Traditional Thai MassageLOCATION: Opposite the Govt. Tourist Infor-mation Centre, Hotel Surya RdPHONE: 981-633-9199EMAIL: [email protected]

Tibetan Language Class LOCATION: Lha Office, Temple RdHOURS: Registration from 9-11am, Mon-Fri PHONE: 220 992See ad on pg 3.

Hindi ClassesLOCATION: Ketan Lodge, Jogiwara Rd, beside the Korean RestaurantPHONE: 981-649-4732

Lotsawa Rinchen Zangpo ProgramWEB: www.lrztp.blogspot.com/LOCATION: Rato Chuwar Labrang Phuntsok Gatsel Session Rd, DharamsalaEMAIL: [email protected]

Hindi Lessons with SunilLOCATION: Kunga Guesthouse, Bhagsu Rd and in DharamkotPHONE: 01892-21942, 941-818-7281EMAIL: [email protected]

Tibetan LanguageLOCATION: The Tibetan LibrarySee Buddhist Philosophy Listing

Hindi Lessons with KailashLOCATION: At Bhimsen’s Indian Cooking Class PHONE: 01892-20063, 941-816-1947HOURS: Daily, 4:00-6:00pm

Tibetan with Pema YoudonLOCATION: Jogiwara Rd, opposite the post officeHOURS: 1:00-4:00pm, or leave a message.

Himalayan Iyengar Yoga CentreWEB: www.hiyogacentre.comLOCATION: Dharamkot, on the footpath toBhagsu EMAIL: [email protected]

Kailash Tribal School, (Yoga Alliance USA Recognized)WEB: www.yogatribe.orgLOCATION: Bhagsu Rd, near the Green Shop HOURS: Daily, 1:30 pm; Closed on TuesPHONE: 981-615-0326 EMAIL: [email protected]

Om Yoga, Meditation & Reiki CentreLOCATION: Ketan Lodge, behind Akash Hotel, on Jogiwara Rd - Map #11HOURS: 8:00am-6:00pmPHONE: 980-569-3514

Rishi Yoga Centre with Yogi ShivamWEB: www.siddharthayogacentre.orgLOCATION: Himalyan Paradise Hotel Jogiwara Rd - Map #15HOURS: 7:00-8:00am & 6:15-7:15pmPHONE: 981-656-5138EMAIL: [email protected]

Siddhartha Yoga Centre with Yogi ShivamWEB: www.siddharthayogacentre.orgLOCATION: Upper Bagsu Nag HOURS: 7:00-8:00am & 6:15-7:15pmPHONE: 981-656-5138EMAIL: [email protected]

Universal Yoga with VijayRecognized by Yoga AllianceWEB: www.vijaypoweryoga.comLOCATION: Room #5, Yongling School Building, Jogiwara Rd HOURS: 9:00 -11:10am & 2:00 - 4:00PmEMAIL: [email protected]

MaSSage

Nature Cure Health Club LOCATION: Jogiwara Rd, next to Tibetan Ashoka Guest House-Map #10HOURS: 9:30am-6:30pmPHONE: : 941-813-0119EMAIL: [email protected]

Tibetan Delek Hospital LOCATION: Gangchen Kyishong, between McLeod Ganj and Lower DharamsalaPHONE: 01892-22053 / 223381HOURS: Outpatient services, Mon-Sat: 9:00am-1:00pm; Specialist clinics, Mon-Sat: 2:00-4:30pm; Emergencies: 24 hrs daily

Ayuskam Health CareWEB: www.ayuskama.comLOCATION: First floor Hotel Anand Place, near Bhagsu taxi stand and near Tibetan Hotel Ashoka Guest House McLeod GanjPHONE: 980-592-8923, 973-621-1210

Lha Tibetan Cooking School LOCATION: Lha Office, Temple RdHOURS: Registration, 9:00-11:00amPHONE: 01892-20992

cooKing

Indian Cooking ClassesLOCATION:Jogiwara Rd, next to Tibetan Ashoka GuesthouseHOURS: 10:00am-6:00pmPHONE: 941-813-0119EMAIL: [email protected]

Lhamo’s Kitchen, Tibetan Cooking ClassesLOCATION: Bhagsu Rd, near the Green ShopHOURS: 8:00am-9:00pmPHONE: 981-646-8719

Nisha’s Indian Cooking ClassLOCATION: Hotel Lotus Leaf, Jogiwara RdHOURS: 4:00-6:00pmEMAIL: [email protected]

Sangye’s Kitchen Traditional Ti-betan Cooking ClassesLOCATION: Lung-ta Restaurant, below the Tashi Choeling Monastery on Jogiwara RdHOURS:10:00am-12:00pm & 4:00-6:00pmPHONE: 981-616-4540EMAIL: [email protected]

Yoga & reiKi

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Visitor Services Offered at Lha

TIBETAN LANGUAGE CLASSLearn more about the Tibetan people and explore the unique Tibetan culture including Buddhism by

learning the Tibetan language! Learn reading, writing, speaking, and grammar. Beginner and intermedi-ateclass levels with qualified teachers for interested individuals and small groups.

TIBETAN COOKING CLASSLearn a variety of traditional and modern vegetarian Tibetan foods including momo, thukpa and Tibetan bread from qualified teachers. Learn to prepare and then taste the delicious and yummy Tibetan foods

for individual or small groups.

TIBETAN ARTS CLASSLearn the basic traditional Tibetan form of painting including drawing and how to use color for interest-

ed individuals and small groups with a professional and qualified artist.

TIBETAN HOME-STAYLha arranges short or long term home-stays with refugee families giving visitors the chance to experi-

ence the Tibetan life style. Home-stays provide a valuable opportunity for visitors and locals to connect and learn about each other’s cultures.

YOGAFor sound physical, mental and emotional development we offer Sivananda and Hatha yoga for begin-

ners with a qualified teacher for small groups.

MASSAGEComplete physical and mental relaxation and stress reduction with re-vitalizing techniques of deep tis-

sue and acupressure with a professional therapists.

Contact: Lha Office on Temple Road, opposite State Bank of India.Phone: 01892-220992 Email: [email protected]

THIS SPACECOULD BEY O U RA D V E R T I S E M E N T

FOR SALE!1992 Royal Enfield Motorcycle

Price Negotiable• Good Condition, 350cc

• Good for Long Distance Travel• Registered under Karnataka State, S.India

If interested, please contact Ngawang at981-668-9222

All proceeds will benefit Lha Social Work projects!

Page 17: Contact August 2012

ContaCt magazIne 17 august 2012

SEVEN HILLS OF DOKEBI

KOREAN RESTAURANT

Pure Korean Food AvailableFor both Veg & Non Veg

We serve special Kimbab (Sushi)For every day veg, tuna, avocado,

And many other naturally Korean foodsKimchi, Bulgogi, Very Clean & Delicious!!!

Also good MusicClassics, Jazz, Pop, Korean &

we have nice fireplace

Open 10:00am ~ Closed 10:00pmLocated on Jogiwara Road-Map #11

Mobile: 98055 83234Near the Japanese Restaurant

GOING TO AMRITSAR?Come see us at Tourist Guest House

British colonial mansion turned into beautiful guest house that tourists have been flocking to for a taste of the Raj life style.

We have Internet connection at Rs 1/min.

Comfortable stay with home cooked meals. Dorm bed Rs 125, Single/dble w. bath Rs 175-350.

Walking distance from train and bus. Private parking.Recommended in travel guide ‘Lets Go-2000’.

Contact Harindar at : 0183-2553830 / 09356003219E-mail : [email protected]

IN DHARAMKOT

+91 - 98056 61222

NorbulingkaWhere nature flourishes and tranquility prevails

Preserving Tibetan CultureLIVE ART

FINE SHOPPING

ART GALLERY

DOLL MUSEUM

SERENE GARDEN CAFE

INNOVATIVE CRAFT AND DESIGNGuided Tour, Round Trip Sharing Ride

Minimum Four People RequiredRs. 150 per person from McLeod Ganj

Tickets Available at Chonor Guest HouseContact: Chonor Reception #01892-221 468/01892-221006

Trisong Dorjee #9816523556Website: www.norbulingka.org

WWW.THESANCTUARY.IN

Creative Workshops&

Sessions in• Self-Exploration • Yoga • Massage

• Dance • Meditation • Drama• Family Constellations

& More...

Dr. Mobile ShopYour Communication Partner

Mobile Sales, Mobile Repair, Sim Cards, Purchase and Recharge Phone Service

Black Magic Building (underground), Jogiwara Road, McLeod Ganj Phone: 9857011101

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Page 18: Contact August 2012

ContaCt magazIne 18 august 2012

Dream Holidays Travels and ToursGround Floor of Asian Plaza Hotel, Main Square / Bus Stand, McLeod Ganj - Map #18

(3rd office inside Mall)“let us be your dream holiday”

+Worldwide Air Travel Arrangements - Lowest Fares Guaranteed+Discounted domestic air tickets

+AC & Non-AC cars & jeeps for short & long tours, airport & train station transfers+Rail tickets and hotel reservations + Short and long trekking tours

phone: 0091 1892-221 469 / 220 790, mobile: 981 608 7878 / 941 809 7149email: [email protected], web: www.dreamholidayindia.com

Jimmy’s Ital ian Kitchen-has opened a new branch-Main market, just opposite of prayer wheels on the

second floor. Jogiwara Road, McLeod - Map #6Contact: 9857121027 / 9816124833

Come for fine Italian food, amazing views from the roof top terrace garden, live music, stylish decor & yummy desserts!

CARPE DIEMRESTAURANT & PIZZERIA

“Your Health is our Happiness”MEXICAN, ITALIAN, INDIAN, CHINESE,

CONTINENTAL, & THAI FOODHealthy hygiene, No MSG•Everything washed with sterilized water•Homemade muesli & homemade curd•Large variety of fresh juices•Wood-fired pizza oven & clay Tandoori oven•Relaxed atmosphere including roof top tables •& Japanese-style seating area

Located on Jogiwara Road,across from the Tibetan Reception Center

(down from Post Office) - Map #8

Enjoy traditional Taiwanese and Chinese food and peaceful environment, just one minute from the Bus Stand, just behind Asian Plaza! (Map #3)

Common Grounds Cafe is a nonprofit venture of Common Grounds Project, an NGO with a mission to establish and promote innovative forums to achieve common grounds of shared understanding between Chinese and Tibetan people. We also host weekly programs including screenings, discussions, & workshops.

TIBET KITCHENRESTAURANT & BEANS CAFE

BEST AUTHENTIC TIBETAN CUISINE IN TOWNSPECIALIZING IN THAI, BHUTANESE, & CHINESE

WE ALSO SERVE FRESH BEAN COFFEEHealthy Hygienic - Only A.C. Restaurant in town

Homemade Noodles - Internet surfing

Party Bookings AvailableOpen 11:00 am to 9:30 pm. Located at the Main SquareContact: 01892-221980, Mobile: 98058 75626 - Map #5

Are you reading this byChance?

Or was it destined…

Discover the Secrets of Being, Doing and Having everything.Unravel the Mystery of your life, And Find the Purpose & Happiness.

Take a walk to….

KUNDALINIEsoteric Boutique

On hotel Surya Road, Mcleodganj - Map # 14

Result guaranteed life-style ideas & discussions at 6:00PM every eveningTuesday through Friday.

Reiki Meditation Healing, Crystals, Pashmina CarpetsEvery product a labor of love

HOTEL LADIES’ VENTURE“The most suitable place for foreigners, holidaymakers, honeymooners,

trekkers, and those who wish to commune with nature!”

We offer: Affordable dormitories, well-appointed rooms, boarding, and McLeod Ganj’s FINEST hospitality!

Jogiwara Road - Map #10Mobile - 981 623 5648 Hotel - 01892 22 1559

Glorious ArtsBELIEVE IN THE BEST

Precious & Semi-Precious Stones Gold & Silver Jewellery

Pashmina Shawls ♦ Thangkas ♦ Carpets, etc. Also Made to Order

**Bring in this ad and receive 11% off any one item!** (expires 31 July 2012)

Shop No. 11, Mount View Complex, Temple Road, McLeod Ganj (inside Hotel M, opposite reception desk - Map #2)

Mobile: +91-9816559319 / 9960802594 Also visit us in Goa, near the CSM Hotel, Baga

Deals in:

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Page 19: Contact August 2012

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McLEOD GANJ

DHARAMKOT

Vipassana Centre

Tushita CentreTibetanChildren’sVillage (TCV)

Naddi Village

CanttPolicePost

Road to Dharamshala

Main Bazaar

TIPA

BHAGSU NAG

LhaMAIN

SQUA

RE

For Details See Advertisement Pages

1. Lha Headquarters2. Glorious Arts3. Common Ground Cafe4. Kunga Guest House & Nick’s Italian Kitchen5. Tibetan Kitchen6. Jimmy’s Italian Kitchen 7. Nature Cure Health Club8. Carpe Diem Restaurant9. Dr. Mobile10. Hotel Ladies’ Venture11. Seven Hills of Dokibe & Om Yoga Center

12. 8 Auspicious Him View Hotel13. Destination Travels14. Kundalini15. Hotel Nataraj16. Pema Thang Guest House17. Chonor House18. Dream Holidays Travel19. Crepe Pancake Hut20. Ahimsa House & Lha Soup Kitchen21. Angel Massage Centre

21

2

3

Map not to scale

4

5 68

1011

14

13

12

1516

17

9718

19

Thank you for patronizing our advertisers!

20

Road to Dharamshala

Destination TravelsAuthorised agent for Jet Airways

and Air Sahara instant ticketsOnline reservations / availability

Our Services:International and domestic • flight tickets on all airlines

Dharamshala to Delhi & Kullu to Kelhi • flight tickets available

Online reservations• Special youth / student fares• Hotel reservations / Transfers•

Hotel in Thailand / Malaysia / Singapore•

Temple Road, McLeod GanjPhone: 01892 220 399 / 220012

Mobile: 94180 41414E-mail: [email protected]

Web: www.destinationtravels.net - Map #13

8 AUSPICIOUSHIM VIEW HOTEL

Located below Ghu Chum Movement at Jogiwara Road (Map #12). We have 8 beautiful, well-decorated rooms with good-luck symbols in each.

All rooms have a balcony facing the Himalayan Range. Enjoy the sunrise from your bed!

Our restaurant serves Vegetarian Tibetan and Continental dishes. We also have a coffee and juice bar featuring homemade cakes.

Phone: 01892 220567 Cell: 9418236603Email: [email protected]

1

DR. KUMAR CLINIC

Call: 088 944 92837Email: [email protected]: kumarayurveda.com

OPPOSITE CLUB HOUSESURYA HOTEL RD., McLeod Ganj

FACILITIES: OPD, MEDICINE, LAB TEST

• AYURVEDIC BODY DIAGNOSIS & DIET RECOMMENDATION

• 24 HR MEDICAL EMERGENCY

THIS SPACECOULD BEY O U RA D V E R T I S E M E N T

FOR SALE

FOR SALE

Page 20: Contact August 2012

ContaCt magazIne 20 august 2012

Chonor HouseChonor House (map #17) is centrally located overlooking His Holiness the

Dalai Lama’s temple. We have eleven uniquely decorated and well-appointed rooms with room service and housekeeping.

Internet is available in our Cyber Yak.Our chefs create a wide range of Tibetan and International specialties which can

be enjoyed in our beautiful restaurant, our peaceful gardens, or on your own private balcony. Visit our bakery for freshly-made cakes and cookies to enjoy

here or to take away.For that special gift to take home, visit our shops,

Chonor Designs and Norling Designs (on Temple Road)and choose from our exclusive range of jewellery, clothing, and handicraft items.

Phone: 221815Talented artisans from Norbulingka Institute create all of our designs.

Phone: +91(0)1 892 221 006/221 077 Fax: +91 (0) 1892 221648Email: [email protected] - or - [email protected]

Website: www.norbulingka.org/site/visitor.htm

and RestaurantPema Thang Guest House

Charming, comfortable, and scrupulously cleanMinutes from Main Temple and Market, tucked on a

quiet street with magnificent view of the Kangra Valley.Rooms feature kitchenette. New addition: Yoga Hall

Traditional Tibetan Musical Eveningwith Buffet Dinner Every Month

Adjoining Restaurant offers delicious local and continental fare described by Wikitravel as

“lip-smackingly yummy.”Hotel Bhagsu Road, McLeod Ganj: Map #16Phone: 221871/221001 www.pemathang.net

Crepe Pancake Hut

Visit our Café for organic flour-made pancakes with fresh fruit sauce, a variety

of fillings & Green and Grain salads

Come to enjoy our homemade Pineapple beer & Ginger beer

Jogiwara Road, opposite Mountview Guesthouse (Map #19)

Mobile: 9418607037

KUNGAGUEST HOUSE

Spacious rooms with views over the valley, and...

NICK’S ITALIANRESTAURANT

Home baked cakes, quiches, pies, pastas, cheese, & Italian

favourites served on our massive terrace.

We also have on sale theRigpa Tibetan CalendarBhagsu Road - Map #4

Phone: 221 180

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A N G E L M A S S A G E C E N T R EWe are certified, trained and experienced therapists from a recogn-

ised Institute of India. We perform the following therapies

Enjoy the therapy with soft music Massage courses and treatment are available

Visit Us at Hotel Misty Woods, 44/3 Jogiwara Rd Mcleod Ganj (near Chocolate Log) Map #1

Phone: 9736083627-9736083554

Tibetan MassageThai MassageBalinese MassageReflexology

Swedish MassageDeep Tissue MassageHawaiian MassageAromatherapy

Interested in a Tibetan Homestay?

Lha Charitable Trust can arrange home-stays of one month with a Tibetan refugee family. By sharing day-to-day life with a Ti-betan family, you will have an opportunity to experience Tibetan culture in an intensive way. Spend your time in Dharamsala learning the language, cooking Tibetan meals, sharing rituals with a family, and making friends and memories that will last a lifetime. Homestays include accomodation, breakfast, and dinner. If you’re interested in a Tibetan Homestay, contact Lha at [email protected], or stop by the main Lha office on Temple Road

in McLeod Ganj.

Tashi Delek!

Delek Hospital Logo CompetitionDelek Hospital is in search of a new hospital logo. Any person is eligible to compete and forward us a logo they think would be most appropriate. The winner will get Rs. 2,500 cash prize or a complete

free medical check-up at Delek. Participants should e-mail their design to [email protected] or send it via post to address below. The last date for submission of a logo is December

30, 2012.

Submissions should be sent to:

AdministratorDelek Hospital

Kharadanda RoadDharamsala-176215

Distt. Kangra, H.P. India