Dalai Lama to inaugurate Himalayan festival in Dharamsala

 Dharamsala: Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama and Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh will jointly inaugurate the two-day International Himalyan Festival at Mcleodganj here on December 10.

The festival is being organised by Himachal Tourism department to mark the the silver jubilee year of presentation of Nobel Peace prize to the Dalai Lama. He had won the Nobel Peace prize in 1989, 25 years ago.

Briefing about the festival, state Tourism Development Board vice chairman Vijay Singh Mankotia said, "about 230 artists from Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and Rajasthan will participate in the two-day cultural programme".

He further said Himachali artists of seven districts will also perform at Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts (TIPA) at upper Dharamsala on December 10 and 11.

"Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) has also invited cultural troops from Russia, Mangolia and Bhutan to take part in the festival," Mankotia said.

He said that though the Dalai Lama is going to Rome to participate in the Nobel Peace Laureates' Conference scheduled to be held on December 12, yet he agreed to be the part of the opening ceremony of the Himalayan International Festival at Tsuglakhang, the main Tibetan temple at Mcleodganj.