I was born in exile but I belong to a country which is perhaps unknown to many in this world.Tibet,the dear land of my ancestors,is situated in Central Asia.It is the highest and the largest plateau on Earth.China,India,Nepal,Bhutan,Burma,Eastern Turkistan are its neighbouring countries.It is bordered to the south by the mighty Himalayas,to the west by the peaks of the Karakoram and to the north by the Kunlun and Tangla ranges.Some of Asia's greatest rivers like Brahmaputra,Yellow River,Yangtse,Indus and Sutlej,Arun,Salween and Mekong rivers all have their sources on the Tibetan plateau.These rivers sustain the lives of 85% of Asia's population, approximately 50% of the world's population..Tibet is often termed "roof of the world","the land of snows" or "the third pole."
A very brief history of Tibet
The advent of buddhism marked the begining of a new era in our history.The land of warriors was slowly embedded with the non-violent buddhist philosophies.Tibet was completely demilitarised and all the resources were invested toward the establishment of buddhism.Gradually, over the centuries,we embraced Buddha's doctrines into our lifestyle so profusely and profoundly that it has now become our very identity.Although we advanced greatly spiritually,we lagged in the material progress tremendously and perhaps that proved fatal to our nation's security.Our powerful and ambitious neighbour,China invaded us in 1949,and after years of resistance we finally lost our freedom in 1959.Like many other Tibetans,my ancestors fought bravely for the pride of their nation, in this unlevelled war against China.We were among the Tibetans who followed H.H.Dalai Lama into exile.Nevertheless,the Chushi Gangdruk(four rivers,six ranges),the brave khampas continued their struggle against the invasion from outside Tibet but unfortunately faced deadly consequences.Inside Tibet, people were enslaved,tortured,killed,religious practice banned and the Tibetan culture was systematically being destroyed.More than a million Tibetans lost their lives,many held in prisons and labour camps, 6500 monastries looted and destroyed and innumerable other religious and cultural objects disappeared.Even after half a century the persecutions and killings of Tibetans by the chinese authorities is a living reality.