After over seventy years of being in exile, a whole generation of Tibetans have come of age in a land far from home. With the Dalai Lama and other great masters as their spiritual guides, they have grown up cut off from their homeland. Their experiences have been unique, as they have, despite globalization, kept alive their religion and culture. In Little Lhasa, Tsering Namgyal Khortsa writes comprehensively about the different aspects of their life today—from organizing protests, to incubating a culture of filmmaking, to becoming writers who write and publish in the English language, and much more.
Diverse voices of the community come alive in these essays and interviews— students, organizers, practitioners of the faith of Tibetan Buddhism, filmmakers, journalists, writers, and even ex-political prisoners as the author brings together different strands of the Tibet-in-exile experience. No less of a character is the town of Dharamsala, which is the seat of the Tibetan government in exile and of the Dalai Lama. In Tsering Namgyal’s words this ‘Little Lhasa’ shines through—its melting pot culture made up by so many from around the world.
Perceptive, humorous and erudite, Little Lhasa is a valuable record of the life of a people who refuse to bow down or forget, and even while adapting to a rapidly changing world continue to nurture their roots.
