“Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive.” — The 14th Dalai Lama
I can’t recall exactly when I first became aware of the Dalai Lama. What I do know is that early on as I was becoming an adult I had two experiences that left a lasting impression on me. These are the first I recall.
In 1986 while cycling across the top of India I’d nearly run out of rupees and in my search for a bank that would change my US dollars I bumped into a Norwegian couple who pointed me in the direction of the green hotel at McLeod Ganj. As I peddled up the steep hill I wasn’t aware that it was the location of the Tibetan government in exile, nor the home of the 14th Dalai Lama. I spent a wonderful few days there and while I didn’t get to meet the Dalai Lama, I did get to learn first hand about the plight of the many refugees there.
Everyday at four my bike would come out and throngs of children would bustle each other vying to get to the front of the queue for a ride. Most trips would have four or five children and me on the bike.
At some stage, probably after my trip to McLeod Ganj, I read seven years in Tibet by Heinrich Harrer. The book fascinated me and left a lasting impression. It gave me an insight into life before Tibet was annexed. It also painted the picture of the Dalai Lama as a human.
Wind the clock forward to 2026 and as I’ve been readying myself for my big adventure i have joined a number of cycling WhatsApp groups and through one of these I became aware that the Dalai Lama would be staying just outside Leh at the same time as I was probably going to be there.
So on a warm August morning I went to get coffee in a nearby cafe in Leh and while drinking my espresso, a guy sitting behind me asked if I was a cyclist to which I replied yes. His name Steven from Leuvin Belgium, and also in the same WhatsApp group as me. He told me about Martial and the fact that they were going to see the Dalai Lama the next day and shared with me an email address, which I used then and there to register my interest.
I didn’t receive a confirmation but the three of us agreed to share an early doors taxi. So duly we arrived outside the Dalai Lama’s residence. The entrance packed with cars and a large throng of Ladakhis baying to get in. We stood around for a while until the back door of a white van opened up. The crowd became even more frenzied. Somehow Martial managed to give our three passports over and after a minute or so our passports were handed back along with two lanyards. One for Steven and one for Martial. My email hadn’t been confirmed. I decided the best course of action was to wait patiently and watch the crowd.
Slowly but surely the lanyards were handed out and the crowd and frenzy lessened.
After about an hour a few of us were left and I’d just about given up hope. We were asked to stand to one side, still not knowing if we would be able to join the 350 others until one of the officials came over and took us through the gate, into an office and took our details and wrote 15A on our hands in black ink. We were given lanyards. The anticipation growing within the four of us, we were shown the way through security to the rest of the crowd who by this time had turned from frenzied to excited and respectful.
We all lined up. The Ladakhis in one very big line. Many of them resplendent in colourful traditional dress. The Europeans in another line. Many people in both lines overcome with the realisation that in a few minutes we would all get to meet the Dalai Lama.
One by one we filed towards his holiness. Surrounded by a series of monks and other officials. Suddenly it was 15A’s groups turn. First the two Germans. Then the guy from Belarus and finally my turn. As I walked up in front of the Dalai Lama a great sense of calm came over me, he took my hand as the officials said that I was James from the Uk and he smiled. His warmth compassion and empathy filled the personal space between us as he raised his other hand and gave me his blessing. I put my hands together and profoundly moved I walked away and was presented with a few blessed articles. A red piece of twine that I still have wrapped around my wrist. As I walked back to the welcome area a nice Spanish lady burst into tears next to me and I welled up too.
Back at the welcome area we all agreed that we all felt a profound sense of kindness, love and well being. That we’d all been treated as individual people and had been given his personal attention is something I will never forget.
I know how lucky I am to have met his holiness and I will take his blessing and message of peace, love and compassion with me on my journey. As I write these words I feel the emotion of the meeting within me.
