Tibetan religious guru Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje today concluded his three-day tour of rain ravaged Kinnaur district with prayers for the flood victims and survivors in the state.
"The Karmapa, who is the third most important Tibetan religious head after the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama, gave teachings and blessing for long life at Rekong Peo to a gathering of about 15,000 people," a statement issued by Tibetan officials said.
"Although Kinnaur faced a major flood disaster this year, we are confident that this will not hapen again after this visit and blessing by Karmapa," a disciple who attended the teachings said.
Unprecedented rain and snow from June 15-17 claimed 23 lives in this sparsely populated community, washed away roads, houses and thousands of acres of apple orchid on which people depend for their livelihood.
Roshan Lal, a resident of upper Kinnaur, said it will take many years to recover from this disaster as the locals have suffered economic losses.
The Karmapa had reached Rekong Peo on August 31 from Dharamsala and was given a rousing reception by Buddhists, led by Lochen Rinpoche, a former member of the Minorities national Commission, Choigoi Rinpoche of Kalpa Monastery, local government authorities, village heads and lamas.
Karmapa said that Kinnaur has contributed many monks and nuns to Buddhist monasteries across the Himalayas and they practise sincerely and with devotion, and many of them have achieved very high levels of realisation.
