India-Bhutan Buddhist fest ends near Tawang

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 10

A four-day Buddhist festival ‘Gorsam Kora’ with Indian and Bhutanese people participating ended today at Zemithang valley located west of Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh.

This annual festival was held at Gorsam Chorten, the sanctuary where the 14th Dalai Lama found refuge upon his escape from Tibet in March 1959.

Incidentally today is the 65th anniversary of the 1959 Tibetan uprising against Chinese rule. This date commemorates the beginning of a conflict that eventually led to the exile of the Dalai Lama.

During the 1962 India-China war, clashes had first broken out on the Zemithang area.

The ‘Gorsam Chorten’ is an icon for Himalayan Buddhism which is older than the Tawang monastery located at Tawang town about 92 km to the East. A 93-ft tall stupa, built during 13th century, stands there along the Nyanmjang Chu river.

It is modelled after Boudhinath stupa of Nepal and also has a spiritual companion, the Chorten Kora in Trashiyangtse of Bhutan across the ridge to the West, built in 1740.

Thousands of devotees, including large number of Bhutanese nationals, visit during Gorsam Kora festival to observe the occasion during the last day of the first month of the lunar calendar.

The event was organised by the local community of Zemithang in collaboration with civil authorities and active support by local Indian Army units.

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