16.11.2020

Memories of Tsering Dorje 

by Dr. Manohar  Singh Gill, Padma Vibhushan, Former Union Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports, Govt. of India, Former Chief Election Commissioner, Govt. of India 

In 1959, the Chinese suddenly attacked an Indian Police patrol in Ladakh and killed a number of our people. The Chief Minister, Sardar Kairon, ever alert to future dangers immediately created a border district, beyond Manali, across the Rohtang Pass (13050 feet). We had to walk over the Pass and walk all over this mountain district of two valleys, Lahaul and Spiti, 6000 sq. miles of high mountains and Glaciers, with a population of only about 20,000, spread in tiny hamlets across the high ridges. Having done mountaineering training with Tenzing, the Everest Hero, I volunteered as Deputy Commissioner, in 1961.

I was there at the time of the Chinese attack in 1962. I was about 26 years of age. Kairon wisely sent young people on this difficult posting. When I arrived in Kullu, I was met by a man of my age, from the Keylong district office. Tshering Dorje, was tall, square faced like a Tibetan and always had an absurd Lenin type ‘Peak’ Cap on his head. Like hill people, he was always smiling. He was to be my Bhoti teacher, as the government thought we needed to learn the language. But everyone spoke Hindustani of a kind and he effectively became my ADC. During my time there, he was ever with me and we two young men, marched all over the hills, visiting remote villages at heights of 12000 – 13000 ft climbing upto Monasteries and in winter, slogging around in deep snow. Like the ICS men, I wanted to write something of my experiences, so Dorje and I went to every festival, every lama prayer, and even funerals. Dorje explained to me the ceremonies and I took avid notes. As Deputy Commissioner of these valleys, for once my pleasure became my duty. There were no files to clear, and in the long winter, we only had a ‘Kutcha’ police wireless contact with Chandigarh. Dorje was full of humour, perpetually laughing, sitting with me, with high lamas in Karding, Sha-Shur and many other monasteries drinking butter tea and acquiring knowledge, from abbots. Once, in winter I took him down on a weeks’ trek to Udaipur, in the Chandra-Bagha valley – which becomes the Chenab, when it leaves the hills. Another time, we made a quick visit to Spiti, across the Kunzam Pass (15500 feet). Walking most of the way to Kaza. From Kaza we walked 56 miles to Kaurik, on the Tibet frontier, spending only a night on the way. We were both young and fit, and I could match Dorje stride for stride. In February, I walked all over Keylong village, while he explained to me, Losar, the Tibetan New Year. The heavily bejewelled girls, the Chhan to drink, ceremonially and the shooting by the Lama, at the sacred tree close to my house, were all wonders for me. This culture was alone and unique. In mid February, I took it into my head, to cross the heavily snowed Rohtang pass with a group of local people, who use to bring, our Daak, from Manali. At that time, in 1961, there were no telephone connections, no cellphones, nothing. Dorje was always game. We travelled for a week, through the totally snowed Lahaul valley, climbed to the Rohtang, at great risk, climbed down on the other side, and walked all the way to Manali. It was a venture of high risk and men had died in September of the past. In 1963, I came away, from Lahaul, and soon after in 1966, the Punjab was trifurcated, and all the mountain areas, went away to Himachal Pradesh. The current Himachal, is essentially the old Punjab. We became, strangers. I got married, but in later years, my wife and I continued to go to Lahaul valley. Bhoti master was always waiting. Still later, when I became Secretary, Government of India, then Chief Election Commissioner and finally Union Minister, I kept in touch with Dorje and Lahaul Spiti. As Agriculture Secretary, I sent lots of funds for the development of these valleys. I did, the same as Sports Minister, to encourage trekking and mountaineering. With the new cell phone technology, I was in touch with Dorje, almost every other day. From ADC, he became, my brother of a kind. I visited him in his home in Guskiar Village in the Valley and his second home, high on a Kullu mountain. As Minister and Member of Parliament, I gave funds, to programs in the Lahaul and Kullu valleys on his suggestions, by changing the rules. Normally, MPLAD Fund is given in your own state. Dorje was my life long bond with Lahaul Spiti, and I used to say to him, that it must be some ‘Karma’, and I was sured to be born the next time, as a Lama, in some Lahaul Monastery, he always agreed.

I talked to him, a week ago, and I always joked, that we should go together. Sadly, he left suddenly, a few days ago, the victim of Corona Virus.

As a young man, Dorje has spent a number of years in a Monastery, in Western Tibet. Later, came back to Lahaul, married and had a family. He was a very learned man, not only in the Budhist scriptures, but in Sanskrit and the entire field of Hindu culture. He was widely respected, not only in the hills, but also by Scholars in the west. He wrote considerably, and had easy access, to his holiness, the Dalai Lama. His going, is a great loss and will leave a void, in the hill culture. Certainly, in Lahual Spiti. He and I had planned early next summer, to go together to Lahaul, through the new, ‘Atal Tunnel’ for the building of which we both worked over long years. I will still go, but without Dorje, I will feel forlone in the valley. Every hill and every peak, will carry for me, a memory of Tshering Dorje.

Dr. Manohar Singh Gill