On His Holiness’ Secret Service

Himal South Asia had presented a report in its September edition on the accusations and counter-accusations between the Dalai Lama ´camp´ and the Shugden Supporters Community (SSC), a Buddhist group based in London. The story had suggested, among other things, that the Dalai Lama´s followers might have been a little over-zealous in enforcing his stricture against worshipping the deity Dorje Shugden. Little did we know then that Himal itself would have to face the displeasure of some these followers over the same matter.

Salugara, near Siliguri in the Indian state of West Bengal, was the site where Tenzin Gyatso, the Dalai Lama, conducted his latest Kalachakra initiation. An estimated 200,000 Buddhists devotees were gathered from all over the Himalayan rimland and overseas. Even though security was tight, the atmosphere in Salugara was carnival-like, and we were glad to be a part of it, through the presence of Himals for sale at a stall.