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| Dalai Lama calls for peace, violence free 21st century | | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
GULABGARH, June 5: From the soil of a trouble torn state which remained soaked in bloodbath of militancy for over twenty years, Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama today gave a clarion call for peace and unity among people of all faiths and religions. The Buddhist spiritual leader appealed the world leaders to come forward and make violence-free the 21st century.
Dalai Lama, who arrived here this morning on a two-day visit, addressed a multi-religious religious congregation in this town of Paddar area in mountainous Kishtwar, about 350 km northeast of Jammu.
This is first visit of the Dalai Lama to the Jammu region of the state, though he is a regular visitor to the Buddhist-dominated Ladakh region of the state.The spiritual leader visited Kishtwar district's Padder area which has a population of about 20,000 Buddhists. They were delighted to see their spiritual leader among them as they had been looking forward to his visit to their area.
The sleeping town was spruced up to welcome the Dalai Lama on his first visit to Kishtwar district. Earlier, his visits had remained confined to the Buddhist dominated Ladakh area where he stays frequently in a small palace at Choglamsar town. Dalai Lama will inaugurate a Buddhist Centre in Paddar area which borders the Zanskar Valley in Kargil district of Ladakh
The spiritual leader was received by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah at Udhampur, 66 km north of Jammu, and both travelled to Padder in a chopper.The sun shone bright in the area , when the Dalai Lama landed at the helipad, and thousands of people cheered to greet the Nobel laureate.
In his address to the people at Padder, the Dalai Lama expressed his happiness to be among the people of the area. "I had wished to visit this place before too, but it came through only now," he said.A gathering of around 10,000 people had converged to listen to the spiritual leader.
The spiritual leader asked the people to maintain peace. "It is one of the highest virtues and this should lead to the unity of hearts among peoples of all faiths."
The Dalai Lama lauded the Chief Minister's endeavors for equitable development of all areas and all sections of the society.
Abdullah described the Dalai Lama as "shanti dhoot" (ambassador of peace) and underlined the importance of "peace and tranquility as subjects of global significance."
J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had specially flown from summer capital Srinagar to this town to receive the spiritual leader on his maiden visit to Paddar area - famous for Sapphire mines.
In his address Dalai Lama admired the social fabric in India where people following different faiths live together peacefully.People living in India live without any conflict. This is a good symbol, he said while advocating path of non-violence.Let us make this century violence free, Dalai Lama said calling upon the world leaders to follow path of non-violence.
He appealed the people of Kishtwar, which used be a hot bed of militants, to continue with their rich multi-cultural heritage and maintain religious harmony and tranquility at all costs. Earlier after his arrival at 0930 hrs, the Tibetan leader visited Gompa here.
He stayed there for at least two hours and had a conversation with Omar Abdullah. Dalai Lama also recalled his meetings with the Chief Ministers father Union Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah and grandfather former Prime Minister of J and K Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah.
Tight security arrangements have been made for the visit of Tibetan spiritual leader to Gulabgarh .State administration, under the close supervision of the Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, has made fool-proof arrangements for the visit of spiritual leader.
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