This colony near Kashmere Gate, Delhi presents myriad colours of Tibetan culture
Archit kumar Srivastava | June 29, 2016 | New Delhi
Majnu ka tilla or New Aruna Nagar Colony, situated on the banks of river Yamuna near Kashmere Gate, is a refugee camp housing Tibetan people. The Tibetan colony was established in 1960.
The colony is divided into two parts; new colony and old colony. Many restaurants and shops are located in the new colony, while in the old colony houses of Tibetan refugees can be seen. Most of the refugees came to this colony in 1959.
As you enter the narrow lanes of Majnu ka tilla, colorful prayer flags catch one’s eye immediately. Right in the center of the colony a Gompa (a Tibetan monastery) can be found. Monks and devotees offer prayers and rotate prayer wheels inside the monastery.
The place is also thronged by tourists as there are many popular eating joints, which offer local Tibetan food. Many local shops selling Tibetan handicrafts, latest fashion wear and gadgets also attract tourists to the place. Kids can be easily found playing games and hanging out in the narrow lanes of Majnu ka tilla.
The colony also has a park which is adorned with beautiful flags and buntings. The park becomes a playground for children and a resting ground for the elderly.
The place also reflects Tibetan people’s struggle for freedom, as posters and graffiti of ‘Free Tibet’ seen all over the place.
Laja(79), a monk or a bhikkhu, has served in the gompa for around two decades.
Shreen (76) was 19 years old when he came to India as a refugee. Shreen and his father were brought in into the colony by Indian army. He wants to die in his motherland but can’t go back as does not have a visa.
Archit is an intern with Governance Now
Tavleen Singh, noted journalist and political commentator, has turned to fiction, with her debut novel ‘The Actor’ (HaperCollins India). Set in the near future, it has a superstar, Amit Singh, turning to politics, when the political landscape is dominated by prime minister Guru Gaynendraj
The union cabinet, chaired by prime minister Narendra Modi, on Tuesday approved the setting up of a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), called Integrated Transport & Logistics Authority (ITLA), to strengthen research, planning, appraisal, monitoring and impact assessment within the broad domains of Transp
Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) are often described as the building blocks of education. Yet, their significance goes well beyond a child’s ability to read a sentence, write a response or solve a basic mathematical problem. These foundational skills shape how children understand the world,
For decades, policing has followed a familiar sequence: a crime occurs, the police respond, an investigation produces records and those records become part of the institutional memory of the criminal justice system. Artificial intelligence is beginning to alter that sequence. Instead of merely recording
“We are making a Constitution forever and not only for today.” Shibban Lal Saksena said this in the Constituent Assembly on June 15, 1949. He was warning that a ruling party might one day choose a loyalist to run India’s elections. Seventy-seven years later, the Supreme Court is wrestli
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by prime minister Narendra Modi, has approved implementation of the ITMS Project by Delhi Police at an estimated cost of Rs.1,789.52 crore, inclusive of taxes. The project will cover 42 identified traffic corridors and will be implemented in three
