‘Tibet Festival in Mangalore’
by Stanly Pinto
(Times of India | October 6, 2003)

Mangalore: The Tibetan Students' Association, Mangalore (TSAM) in collaboration with Friends of Tibet(lndia), Mumbai, will organise 'Tibet: Cry of Snow Lion', a three-day festival of Tibet including photo-exhibition, cultural presentation and films of Tibet from at Shanti Nilaya Hall, Balmatta from Monday to Wednesday.

Dharampal Negi, Inspector General of Police (IGP) will inaugurate the festival. A press release from Pema, President of TSAM stated that this festival is one of the events the association has planned for this year to spread the awareness of Tibetan Freedom Struggle, contemporary Tibet under Chinese rule, its tradition and culture, which are at stake under the China's oppressive rule in Tibet.

"Our brothers and sisters in Tibet look to us with great hope for freedom and I personally think that it's every Tibetan's responsibility to contribute their part in creating the awareness of Tibetan issues," he added.

The festival will also have 'Taste of Tibetan Dishes' on the Wednesday, where Tibetans dishes will be available.

The films which are going to be screened during the festival are as: 'Tibet: Cry of the Snow lion'. Ten years in the making, this provocative documentary was filmed during a remarkable journey throughout Tibet, India and Nepal. Cry of the Snow lion brings audiences to the long – forbidden 'Rooftop of the World' with an unprecedented richness of imagery... from brothels and slums in the holy city of Lhasa, to magnificent Himalayan peaks still traveled by nomad Yak caravans. The secrets of Tibet's recent past are powerfully chronicled through riveting personal stories and interviews and a collection of undercover and archival images never before assemble in one film. This will be screened at 11 am on Tuesday.

Escape from Tibet: This documentary is about a group of young Tibetans escaping from Tibet into India, from the torture, persecution and oppression, which they face daily in their own country.

Wind Horse: A feature film set in the contemporary Tibet where the Tibetans are living with the Chinese since their occupation in 1950. Based on the true-life story of a Tibetan woman who is torn apart between her aspirations in life as a singer in Karaoke bars.

Kundun by Martin Scorcese: This film traces the incredible life story of the 14th Dalai Lama, who had to take up the responsibilities of a breaking nation at the young age of 14, when Tibet was seeing the most difficult period of foreign occupation. The boy Dalai Lama survived and today he is a symbol of world peace.

Photography Exhibition: Long Look Homeward – a collection of rare photographs of the Tibet narrating the history of Tibet and also portrays the present situation in Tibet and Tibetans in exile. This traveling exhibition from Tibet museum comes to Mangalore after Delhi, Agra, Mumbai, Chennai and Calcutta.

Tibetan Songs and Dances: From the most popular Snow Lion dance to the various cultural dances of farmers, nomads and monks and Tibet. The young Tibetans in exile persevere learning their cultural roots. The Tibetan students in Mangalore will present glimpses of traditional Tibetan cultural performance, which is fast becoming history in Tibet.

Tibetan Food: Young Tibetan students studying in Mangalore will show their cookery skills they have inherited from their Tibetan family. Hot steamed and fried momos will be on sale.