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These plans started to come to
fruition when the Dalai Lama opened the main temple of New Ramoche
Monastery in Sidbhari near Dharamsala in 1996. Work began in earnest in late 1999/early 2000 to
build and complete three accommodation blocks around the main
monastery.
 In February 2004, Gyuto Tantric University
moved to the New Ramoche Temple at Sidbhari in the beautiful
Kangra Valley just 20 minutes from His Holiness the Dalai Lama
at McLeod Ganj near Dharamsala.
They left a small group of 25 monks behind to meet the needs
of the local Tibetan community and to manage the farming and
carpet co-operatives established by the monastery over the years
and crucial to the economic survival of the community. Many tears
were shed by the locals but it was time to go.
In 3 major moves, each time involving
days of travelling and whole railway carriages, the monks transported
themselves and their precious monastic possessions across the
country. The drums, long horns, costumes, thangkas, carpets and
statues all arrived safely. Each monk was allotted only 75 kgs
personal baggage which adds new meaning to not being attached
to possessions!
We can only hope that the Gyuto
Monks will maintain their Tenzin Gang base in some shape or form
as it is an area of great beauty and peace – perfect for
retreat and contemplation.
See images from the newly completed
monastery here. |
or some years the monks have been planning to relocate
to Dharamsala to be closer to His Holiness the Dalai Lama and
to be in a position where they can access health and education
facilities and from which they can travel more easily to and
from the rest of the world and also receive the occasional visitor.
