GUWAHATI: The Indian Army came together with the locals on Saturday (May 06) to celebrate Buddha Purnima at the “Taktsang Gompa” near the beautiful Sangetsar Lake in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang.
The Indian Army assisted in the celebrations as well as participated along with the local population.
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The enthusiastic celebrations commenced with offering of prayers in the Gompa and were followed by a medical camp organized by the Indian Army wherein the locals were provided with medical check-up and medicines.
The local unit of the Indian Army also gifted chairs for the students at the Gompa.
The Taktsang Gompa is one of the three locations where Guru Padmasambhava, the revered deity of the area, meditated with his spiritual consort Monmo Tashi Khewdey in the 8th century AD.
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Guru Padmasambhava was in the manifestation of a Tigress, hence the name Tak-Tsang or ‘Tiger’s Den.’
This beautiful Gompa, perched in the wilderness of mountains at a height of over 12,500 feet, and close to the famous the Sangetsar Lake, is revered by locals and visited by thousands of domestic as well as foreign tourists, who visit Tawang quite often.
It is believed that Padmasambhava or Lopon Pema Jungne, the Lotus Born Guru, a teacher from famous ancient Nalanda University of central India, meditated here prior to moving on to Tibet, for spreading Buddhism.
Historically, in the 8th century AD, Guru Padmasambhava was invited by the Tibetan King Trisong Detsen, to teach Buddhism, and it was under Guru Padmasambhava’s supervision, that the first Buddhist Monastery of Samye was established.
Guru Padmasambhava, through his spiritual powers, subdued evil spirits of Tibet and made them take a pledge to protect Buddhism and its followers.
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Guru Padmasambhava started the new form of spiritual Buddhism, which eventually is known as Nyingma and its followers as Nyingmapas.
Buddhism has many similarities with Hinduism as it emanated from the heartland of India.
Akin to the Hindus belief that Lord Hanuman was born but is immortal, Buddhists believe that Guru Padmasambhava is still alive in Ihop Sinpok Yul in his Copper Palace.
The design of Taktsang Gompa is called ‘Zangdok Palri’, which means the ‘Copper Coloured Palace’, thus is the significance of Taktsang Gompa.
The very first glance of the Taktsang Gompa makes one feel weak on the knees.
The monastery is unimaginably peaceful and pristine and what touches one’s heart and soul, is the chilling wind, blowing with a whistling sound, all the time.
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The Taktsang Gompa is 40 kilometers from the Tawang Town, which is around two hours drive.
While driving to Taktsang Gompa from Tawang Town, one has to pass through the Bumla Pass, a border pass between China’s Tsona County in Tibet and India’s Tawang district in Arunachal Pradesh.
The Sangetsar Lake near the Taktsang Gompa, is also popular as the Madhuri Lake. The lake rose to fame when popular Bollywood actress Madhuri Dixit shot a song here for the Bollywood movie Koyla in 1996.
The celebrations of Buddha Purnima were marked by religious and festive fervour, care and compassion for elders, and respect for the environment, true to the ethos of Indian Buddhism. It also reaffirmed the civil-military bonhomie in the area.