14th Dalai Lama’s legacy honoured in Goa with year-long celebrations

Spiritual leader, the 14^th Dalai Lama, a global symbol of peace, compassion, and Tibetan culture, recently celebrated his 90^th birthday. To honour a life marked by resilience, the preservation of Tibetan identity, and cultural survival, a year-long event and exhibition series titled “The Infinite Ripple – 90 Years of Compassion” has been organised.

As part of the celebrations, the Museum of Goa (MOG), in collaboration with the Dharamshala-based Tibet Museum, is hosting an exhibition titled ‘Refuge, Resilience, and Rights: The Tibetan Story’ from 1 to 8 March at MOG, Pilerne. This eight-day exhibition will feature historical artifacts, personal narratives, archival photographs, and the voices of the Tibetan exile community.

ABOUT THE EXHIBITION

The exhibition brings together contributions from institutions, independent collectors, and members of the Tibetan diaspora, offering a rare and intimate glimpse into how Tibetan culture has endured and evolved since the community’s forced exile.

The 14^th Dalai Lama has had a long-standing connection with Goa. In 2011, he was invited by the Government of Goa to speak at the DD Kosambi Festival of Ideas. He later served as the chief guest at the Goa Institute of Management’s 25^th anniversary, which marked their ‘Year of Ethics’ in 2018.

Additionally, in 2019, Goa University became one of the first public universities in India to establish a Dalai Lama Chair for Nalanda Studies.

The exhibition, featuring approximately 200 archival images, celebrates and honours his lifelong commitments to compassion, non-violence, spiritual leadership, and the preservation of Tibetan identity and culture.

“We chose to present an exhibition on Tibetan exile because exile is not just a political condition, but a profoundly human experience. Tibet’s story raises universal questions about preserving culture away from one’s homeland and sustaining memory across generations. As a cultural institution, we believe it is vital to create space for voices shaped by migration and history,” said Sharada Kerkar, director of the Museum of Goa.

The exhibition traces the journey of the Tibetan people, from their displacement in the mid-20^th century to the experiences of contemporary Tibetan communities in India and around the world.

The Dalai Lama first came to Goa in 2011 to deliver a talk as part of the DD Kosambi Festival of Ideas

On the inaugural day, 1 March at 11.30 am, Prof Varun Sahni will deliver a talk titled ‘Compassion in a Complex and Often Cruel World’, followed by the launch of the book Voice for the Voiceless: Over Seven Decades of Struggle With China for My Land and My People by the 14^th Dalai Lama.

The exhibition will conclude on 8 March with a talk by Karma Thupten, director of the Science for Monks and Nuns Foundation, on The Secret of Particles – The Meeting Between Science and Dharma at 11.30 am.

Later, at 5 pm, photographer Kishore Thukral will give a talk to mark the release of the second edition of his book, SPITI Through Legend and Lore.

The event will conclude at 6 pm with a performance of ‘Blackhat Dance’ by monks from Drepung Loseling Monastery. The exhibition is supported by The Foundation for Universal Responsibility of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Vimson Shivanand Salgaocar Group.

The eight-day exhibition runs from 1 to 8 March and is open to all, though prior registration is required. For details, contact +91 7722089666.

In addition to the Museum of Goa, the exhibition will also take place at Goa University (Seminar Hall, Art Block) on 4 and 5 March. On March 4 (11 am), the documentary Reincarnation and Tibetan Buddhism will be screened at the Arts Faculty, Block B.