Ama Jetsun Pema and Entourage of His Holiness Visits Mahabodhi Devachan Campus
The Mahabodhi International Meditation Centre (MIMC), Devachan Campus, had the honour of welcoming Ama Jetsun Pema La, sister of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, along with her husband Tenpa Tsering La, Tenzin Takla La, Secretary to His Holiness, and revered Sangha members, including Geshes and Khenpos from the Office of His Holiness, for a special dinner and cultural evening.
The visit was marked by warmth, friendship and a deep sense of gratitude, coming just days after His Holiness the Dalai Lama blessed the Mahabodhi campus with his presence on August 9. Welcoming the distinguished guests, MIMC Founder and Spiritual Director Ven. Bhikkhu Sanghasena expressed his happiness at finally receiving Ama Jetsun Pema La and members of His Holiness's entourage at Mahabodhi. He recalled that he had wished for many years to welcome them whenever His Holiness was in Ladakh, making their presence this year especially meaningful for the entire Mahabodhi family.
The evening began with a devotional song by the students of Mahabodhi Residential School, which they had earlier presented during His Holiness's visit to the campus. Through the song, the students expressed their deepest gratitude for His Holiness's blessings and presence. The students then presented a series of cultural performances celebrating the values that form the foundation of life at Mahabodhi, including compassion, loving-kindness, joy, cultural harmony, respect for nature, peace and universal friendship. A special Dhamma song was also presented by the nuns of Phandeyling Nunnery, highlighting the universal message of compassion and world peace. The occasion also recalled the special connection of the nunnery with His Holiness the Dalai Lama. It was with His Holiness's blessings that Ven. Bhikkhu Sanghasena began the initiative to establish the nunnery, and His Holiness himself bestowed upon it the name “Phandeyling Nunnery.”
The cultural evening also featured special contributions from friends and well-wishers, including Shri Phuntsog Ladakhi, Bollywood actor, singer and composer, as well as a practitioner of yoga and meditation and a strong supporter of the Tibetan cause. Ms. Emily, a friend of MIMC, also presented a song as a gesture of friendship and cultural exchange. The programme reflected Mahabodhi's longstanding commitment to fostering harmony among people of different cultures, traditions, faiths and nationalities. The students emphasised that while people may differ in their backgrounds and traditions, the universal aspirations for happiness, dignity, love, compassion and peace unite humanity. The evening carried added significance in the wake of His Holiness the Dalai Lama's visit to the Mahabodhi campus on August 9. For the Mahabodhi family, His Holiness's visit fulfilled a long-cherished aspiration of Ven. Bhikkhu Sanghasena and was regarded as a profound blessing for the institution and its students. At the conclusion of the cultural programme, Ven. Bhikkhu Sanghasena offered tokens of gratitude to Ama Jetsun Pema La, Tenpa Tsering La, Tenzin Takla La and the members of His Holiness's entourage as a humble expression of appreciation for their presence and blessings. The evening concluded in an atmosphere of warmth, gratitude and friendship, with a shared aspiration for compassion, peace, harmony and the well-being of all beings.