Dharamsala: The Grammy Award won by Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, at the age of 90 for the album “Meditations: The Reflections of His Holiness the Dalai Lama” will be formally presented to His Holiness at the office of His Holiness here on Wednesday.
The award-winning album is a unique collaboration between the Dalai Lama and the internationally renowned Sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, together with his sons — Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash.
The album brings together His Holiness’ reflections on compassion, peace, mindfulness and the oneness of humanity with the rich tradition of Indian classical music.
Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, accompanied by Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash, will arrive at the office of the Dalai Lama at 9:30 a.m. to officially present the Grammy Award to him.
The collaboration reflects the shared belief that music, wisdom and compassion can help promote inner peace and greater understanding among people across the world.
The Dalai Lama won his first Grammy Award in February for Best audio book, “Narration, and Storytelling Recording”.
The Nobel Peace laureate competed against Milli Vanilli’s Fab Morvan, US Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, show host Trevor Noah, and actress Kathy Garver.
Rufus Wainwright had accepted the award on the Dalai Lama’s behalf during the ceremony streamed on YouTube.
“Meditations: The Reflections Of His Holiness The Dalai Lama” is the entry from the world’s foremost Tibetan Buddhist, an album of innovative collaborations with Hindustani classical influences.
Sixty-six years ago, the 14th Dalai Lama, disguised as a soldier, left Norbulingka Palace in Tibet, a Third Pole, and escaped into exile in India after his challenging 14-day journey.
Since then, the longest, most respectable staying guest of the Indian government, who often says he is enjoying every possible liberty, has been toeing a path of promoting human values, religious harmony, besides preserving Tibetan language and culture, the heritage received from the masters of India’s Nalanda University.
Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama, with a retinue of soldiers and Cabinet Ministers, escaped into exile on March 17, 1959, after China crushed an uprising in Tibet.
Globetrotting the Dalai Lama, who is considered a living Buddha of compassion, in his latest book, ‘In Voice for the Voiceless’, offers insights into his decades-long dealings with China.
In the book, the Dalai Lama, a reincarnation of past Dalai Lamas, reminds the world of Tibet’s unresolved struggle for freedom and the hardship his people continue to face in their homeland.
The book captures his extraordinary life, uncovering what it means to lose your home to a repressive invader and build a life in exile; dealing with the existential crisis of a nation, its people, and its culture and religion; and envisioning the path forward.
He was 16-years-old when Communist China invaded Tibet in 1950, only 19 when he had his first meeting with Chairman Mao Zedong in Beijing, and 25 years when he was forced to escape to India and became a leader in exile.
On reaching India after a treacherous journey, the Dalai Lama first took up residence for about a year in Mussoorie in Uttarakhand.
On March 10, 1960, just before moving to Dharamsala, a town perched on the upper reaches of north India’s Kangra Valley, the Dalai Lama had said: “For those of us in exile, I said that our priority must be resettlement and the continuity of our cultural traditions. We, Tibetans, would eventually prevail in regaining freedom for Tibet.”
At present, India is home to around 1,00,000 Tibetans and the government-in-exile.
(IANS)
