Karmapa Ugyen Trinley Dorjee Stranded in Snow, Airlifted to Leh

Karmapa Stranded in Snow, Airlifted to Leh

Phayul [Sunday, September 21, 2008 21:53]

phayul bureau report

Dharamsala, Sep 21– Karmapa Ugyen Trinley Dorjee was rescued and airlifted to Leh in Jammu and Kashmir Sunday after he along with 13 others were stranded in Himachal Pradesh’s Lahaul and Spiti district for 48 hours due to heavy snowfall, IANS cited officials.

The young head of Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism was rescued this evening from Baralacha pass in Lahaul and Spiti district was taken to Leh by a helicopter of the Indian Air Force,’ secretary (revenue) Rakesh Kaushal told IANS.

‘Before the rescue, the administration air-dropped blankets and eatables for the Buddhists and other stranded passengers on Baralacha pass,’ IANS quoted him as saying.

The Baralacha pass is located at a height of 4,883 metres on the 475-km-long Manali-Leh highway.

‘The Karmapa is fine and in good health,’ said Kaushal, who is part of the disaster management committee set up by Himachal government after the torrent rain and snowfall.

The Karmapa, the only major monk reincarnate recognised by both the Dalai Lama and China, has been on a religious tour to Buddhist-dominated areas in Lahaul and Spiti district as well as in Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir since Sep 8.

‘He was on his way to monasteries in Lahaul and Spiti from Ladakh when he was held up on the Manali-Leh highway Friday,’ Lahaul and Spiti Superintendent of Police Prem Kumar Thakur said.