THUPTEN NGODUP CANDLELIGHT VIGIL
Each Tuesday evening since the death of Thupten Ngodup, the Tibetan community has been holding a candlelight vigil in the streets of McCleod Ganj and circumambulating Namgyal Temple and then gathering at the temple for puja, speeches and informational videos.
Hundreds of Tibetans could be heard chanting along the path:
Chang chup sim chok rin po che
Ma kye pa num kye gyur chee
Kye pa nyam ba me par yang
Kong ne kong du pe ba shok
May the supreme jewel bodhicitta
That has not arisen, arise and grow;
And may that which has arisen not diminish
But increase more and more.
Karma Sichoe (dark blue shirt), former first batch hunger striker, participated in today's event which has been arranged by the Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC). According to Buddhist belief, the spirit of the deceased remains among the living for 49 days after death. A total of 7 candlelight vigils will be held on each Tuesday night until the 49th day. TYC has requested all Tibetan's to organize similar vigils in their communities.
An impressive number of young Tibetans participated in this event reflecting an eagerness to maintain the momentum created by the hunger strike and Thupten Ngodup's death.
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