Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], April 25 : A group of exiled Tibetans on Thursday, offered prayers in Jonang Monestry at Shimla's Dingu on the occasion of the 35th birthday of 11th Panchen Lama, who was abducted by the Chinese authorities at the age of six, as claimed by the Tibetans.
The Panchen Lama is the second most important spiritual leader in Tibetan Buddhism, after the Dalai Lama.
The Shimla chapter of Tibetan Women Association and Tibetan Youth Congress jointly organized the prayers for the spiritual leader.
Buddhist monks of Jonang Buddhist monastery and other men and women of Tibetan community, by offering prayers and chanting mantras are demanding the international community to put pressure on China to release the 11th Panchen Lama.
"We are offering prayers for the long life of our Yong monk the 11th Panchen Lama. It's been almost 28 years since the young lama who was captured by Chinese Authorities at the age of six. None of us know his whereabouts, we request the UNO and international supporters to find out and let us know if he is alive or not. We are offering prayers and requesting the International community to let us know about the 11th Panchen Lama", said Tibetan activist Tenzin Namgyal.
"Today is the 35th birthday of the 11th Panchen Lama. He is important for us and is the second highest monk for us after the Dalai Lama, he has been missing since 1995. Each year we offer prayers for his birthday and celebrate his birthday and are looking forward to knowing his whereabouts. He was kidnapped by the Chinese and he is imprisoned since then. We are offering prayers for his wellbeing," Tibetan Buddhist Monk Battur Lama said.
Gendhun Chockyi Nyima (11th Panchen Lama) was born in Lhari village in Nagchu region of Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR) on April 25th 1989. At the age of six in May 1995 he was recognized as the reincarnation of 10th Panchen Lama by Tibetan spiritual head, the 14th Dalai Lama.
Denouncing the recognition of the Panchen Lama in 1995, Chinese had already installed the other Panchan Lama Gyatsen Norbu.
The Tibetan allege that since then Chinese authorities had allegedly abducted the boy monk, demand to know about the whereabouts of the 11th Panchen Lama and demand his immediate release.