The year was 1959 and the last date of the third month (31 March 1959). This day in history is recorded for the event in the calendar when the Tibetan Buddhist Guru Dalai Lama stepped into a load as a deported Tibetan. On March 17, he left on foot from Lhasa, the capital of Tibet and entered the Indian border after a visit of about 15 days crossing the Himalayan mountains, passes, valleys and small spiral rivers.
He had already left his monastery and in view of the frequent Chinese attacks and the falling corpses of his Tibetan people, the 14th Dalai Lama had to decide in his youth that he would have to leave from here now.
The Dalai Lama left Tibet overnight
During the journey, many people had started expressing apprehension that they would have died. The Dalai Lama was accompanied by some soldiers and cabinet ministers. These people used to travel only at night to avoid China’s eyes. There were reports of such claims in many media reports of the time that ‘due to the effective people of Buddhism and the prayers of Monk, the clouds caused such an effect that the eyes of the red ships did not fall on the Dalai Lama and the people of their team.
How did the situation deteriorate?
What happened 66 years ago, how happened and how were the circumstances? The Dalai Lama mentions that era in a very disappointment in his biography. The Dalai Lama writes in the book My Land My People that the conditions in Tibet started deteriorating, because the Chinese intervention was now opening openly. In Tibet too, outrage against China was increasing and if we were seen, we were all sitting on the active volcano of emotions. Well, the situation was still careful and this time our Monnum Festival came.
1 March 1959, what happened that day?
The Dalai Lama writes that, ‘This was the first date of March 1959 and the Monlanum festival had started in the holy Jokhan temple in Lhasa. So this day was special, but for me more because I was taking the final exam of the master of metaphysics. Amidst the political turmoil of Tibet, my religious education was my biggest interest. However, an unexpected incident occurred. Lama writes that ‘although it was not so unexpected because it was to happen anytime in this upheaval atmosphere.
Tibet feared the abduction of Dalai Lama
Two Chinese junior officers came to meet me, two junior officers sent to Chinese General Tan Kuan-Sen came to meet me and they almost got insisted that I should set the date for his dramatic performance in the Chinese military camp. Due to the busyness of the festival, I talked about fixing the date on 10 March. Doubt of the arrival of Chinese officers and some unpleasant possibility also deepened because the general’s messages were generally through my senior Chamberlane or the main Abbot. Under Chinese rule, it was risky to reject the invitation, as it could have their displeasure and unpleasant consequences.
Why did China want to call the Dalai Lama alone in the program
Well, on 5 March, I left for Norbulingka. Every time this procession was grand, but this time the absence of Chinese officials caught everyone’s attention. On 7 March, the General’s interpreter again sought the date, and I decided 10 March. On 9 March, Chinese authorities called my bodyguard commander, Kusung depone, and gave unusual orders: there would be no armed guard with me, and no Tibetan soldiers will go beyond the stone bridge. The demand for this secrecy further increased the suspicion. On the night of 9 March, the rumor spread that Chinese are planning to kidnap me.
Lamas were constantly being killed in eastern provinces
The announcement of my arrival in Peking (Beijing) and the stories of the killing of the Lamas in the eastern provinces increased the fear of the people. On the morning of March 10, 30,000 people were surrounded by Norbulingka and shouting slogans against the Chinese rule. The crowd was uncontrollable. The stone pelting on a minister and the murder of a monastery officer made the situation more tense. I informed the General that I could not go to the demonstration. My cabinet assured the crowd that I would not go to the Chinese camp. General Tan, angry, accused the Tibetan government of inciting agitation and threatened to take strict action. Now I was between two volcanoes – my people’s anger and the strength of the Chinese army. The Dalai Lama writes that ‘My efforts of peace were taking to an uncertain future. Nobody knew what was going to happen.
Stressful status in Lhasa
The book presents this entire episode in a very serial manner and takes it to the same phase of 1959. The Dalai Lama has introduced the situation keeping every incident very closely.
He writes in the book that, the situation in Lhasa had become very stressful. One general announced, “Now the time has come to destroy all these reactionaries …. Our government has been tolerant till now, but this is a rebellion and we will now take action, so be ready.” These words were like an ultimatum for my ministers, so that they feared that if the public movement did not stop immediately, the Chinese army would take military action. My ministers were worried about my safety. They believed that if something happened to me, “nothing will be left for Tibet.”
Preparation to rain shells was on the palace of Dalai Lama
Later the same evening, the Dalai Lama received a letter from General Tan Kuan-Sen. This was the first of his three letters in the next few days. The Dalai Lama wrote that I responded to everyone. Chinese later published these letters for publicity, claiming that I wanted to go under his protection, but the “extremist group” took me hostage in Norbulingka and took me to India. This was completely untrue.
The Dalai Lama writes that I want to clarify that “when I left Lhasa, I did this on my own wish. This decision was mine, which was taken in a desperate position. I was abducted by my people; I had no pressure on me, except that every Tibetan in Lhasa could see that the Chinese were preparing to show the shells on my palace, and if I was in my life, I was preparing to show it.
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Mortar rained on March 17
On March 16, the third letter of the General and a letter by Nagabo were received. Nagabo warned that “there is very little possibility of peace” and asked me to break the relationship with the leaders of the people. He wrote, “If you stay inside the inner wall with some trusted bodyguards and tell General Tan in which building you are in, they will definitely not harm that building.” This showed that the Chinese palace and the crowd were planning to destroy, but wanted to save me.
On the night of 16 March, news of Chinese cannon and military preparations started coming. Panic spread among the people, but they were not ready to leave the palace. On March 17, the voice of two mortar shots made the situation more frightening. I and the cabinet decided that I would have to leave Lhasa immediately.
… finally the Dalai Lama left Tibet
The Dalai Lama writes, “I said,” I have no fear of death. My religious education has given me the strength to leave this body, but my people and officials do not share my thoughts. The Dalai Lama is a symbol of Tibet and Tibetan life for him. ” His concern became the basis of my decision. We planned to migrate secretly. I wore a soldier’s costumes and left Norbuling at 10 pm. I said goodbye to my favorite garden, where there was peace, but tension outside was at its peak. I secretly crossed the river, where horses and escorts were ready. I had cabinet, family and bodyguard with me. We did not take any goods, except some clothes and seals. I left the letter for the people, which said, “Until there is an attack, do not shoot.” In this way, I left Tibet, so that the bloodshed could be averted.
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