Monks allege forcible occupation of monastery

KOLKATA: Authorities of the Ganden Choling Monastery in Kalimpong have alleged that a group of Tibetan monks from another monastery vandalised the premises and forcibly occupied it.

"The monks of Tharpacholing Monastery with the help of members of the Tibetan Women's Association and other Tibetan refugee organisations from Kalimpong broke into and forcibly took over the Gandencholing Monastery at Pedong in Kalimpong on May 18," Phurbu Tshering, general secretary of the monastery told PTI from Kalimpong.

A police complaint has been filed. The row among the Buddhist monks was sparked over the worship of Dorjee Shugden, a Tibetan mythological figure.

Ganden Choling Monastery is the only one in Kalimpong area that has not given up its tradition of propitiating Dorje Shugden and houses a very ancient statue of the deity and other sacred images which were installed there by the 1st Domo Geshe Rinpoche Ngawang Kalsang more than 85 years ago.

Monks from the Tharpa Choling Monastery said they were opposed to the worship of Shugden because the Dalai Lama advised them against it.

A group of seven Lamas reside in the Ganden Choling Monastery, meant only for meditation.

The monastery belonged to and was loyal to the present Domo Geshe Rinpoche Lobsang Nga-Kyi Wangchuk, an ethnic Sikkimese, who is a minor and at present studying in Shar Gaden Monastery in south India.