Norbulingka Institute: Preserving a culture.

Norbulingka Institute

A plethora of challenges confront the Tibetan refugees in India today and their central administration, headed by the Dalai Lama. The endeavour of the Tibetans to preserve their cultural and religious identity has so far faced minimal opposition from their Indian hosts. However as the number of refugees swells, the administration faces the growing challenges of not only looking after the settlement of these refugees but also preserving their cultural and religious identity from the forces of modernity in India.

In the Tibetab exodus, cultural forms and institutions that were once taken for granted were suddenly brought to high relief by the experience of exile. This sentiment is combined with a strong commitment to survival, further solidified by with the vow for the continuation of a primary cultural identity as articulated by the Dalai Lama. 

Among all efforts to preserve the Tibetan culture and religion is the Norbulingka Institute. Holton girls have been staying at the Norbuling Guest House since a couple of years and have visited the Norbulingka Institute during their global educational programme to India. Founded in 1988 as part of the Department of Religion and Culture of the Central Tibetan Administration, the Norbulingka Institute promotes the traditional arts and literary studies of Tibet. 

The Norbulingka Institute, surrounded by the green fields of the Kangra valley.

The Norbulingka Institute provides training, education and employment to Tibetans. It provides an environment in which the Tibetan community and values can flourish. The Norbulingka Institute provides people who have newly arrived from Tibet with on-the-job training in areas such as administration, production, marketing and computer skills as well as apprenticeship in artistic domains. Their emerging skills are incorporated with the infrastructure that is needed for the running of the institute. Based on Buddhist values, principles such as self-reliance and positive work ethics are encouraged.

Activities at the Norbulingka Institute