Guest lecture on Tibetan culture

The Department of Sociology organized a Guest Lecture on Tibetan Culture on September 6, 2014, between 11 am and 12 noon, in Christ University. The resource person was Ven. Geshe Dorji Damdul. The program began with a welcome speech by Margret, wherein she gave a brief profile about the resource person. Ven. Damdul has served as the official interpreter to His Holiness the Dalai Lama for several years. In March 2011 he was appointed as the Director of Tibet House, Cultural Center of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, New Delhi, where he has been giving extensive teachings on Tibetan Buddhist philosophy, psychology and logic.  

Ven. Geshe Dorji Damdul began his lecture on Tibetan Culture by narrating the history of Tibet. The history can be divided into two phases, pre 7^th century AD, which was dominated by the Culture of Bon, and post 7^th century AD. In this he dealt with the influence of the Culture of India and Buddhism. He mentioned how they adopted some elements of culture from their neighboring regions like, the food from Chinese cuisine, dress from Mongolians and spirituality from India. He classified his exposition on Tibetan Culture into two parts, namely Expressions of culture and the Contents of the culture. He also spoke about the invention of Tibetan Script.

He also mentioned large scale social service conceptualized by Saint Drupthop Thangthong Gyalpo (1385–1464 AD. He also explained about the Lineage of Dalai Lamas in the political scenario of Tibet, wherein the temporal rule of Tibet was handed over to the Great V Dalai Lama by Mongolian Emperor Gushri Tenzin Choegyal . He added how the XIV Dalai Lama of Tibet was  the Last Dalai Lama in the Political Scenario of Tibet, who received the Noble Peace Prize in 1989. He also talked about how His Holiness, encourages Secular Ethics along  women’s education. After the lecture there was a session for questions and answers.

Vote of thanks was given by Annie Chirayath who thanked Ven. Geshe Dorji Damdul, Dhandup (Director, Tibetan Youth Hostel),  Dr.Victor Paul, Dr.Pritha Dasgupta , Suparna Majumdar Kar, other faculties’, students and supporting staff. As a token of gratitude,  mementos  were gifted by Dr. Victor to Geshe Dorji Damdul and to Dhandup by Suparna Majumdar Kar. The master of the ceremony was Meghana, the photographer was Soumya, and the report was prepared by Ann Tresa.