Bylakuppe turned into a tourist spot by Tibetans

Mysore, Jan 20 (UNI) Bylakuppe, once a thick forest and barren land, with plenty of wild animals, now has become a small tourist spot, yet, the residents share one label of identification which they stamp on all official documents tibetan refugees. Tibet is far away but, it was here, it dwells deep in the hearts and minds of refugees who poured into Bylakuppe since more then four decades in the Mysore district.

Bylakuppe, is one of the settlements which the refugees built in South India, when his holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama fled, in 1959, after the chinese invasion ended their 2000 year old independence, more then 85,000 refugees scattered into 34 settlements spread over ten states in the country.

Myrada was one of the first organizations which tried to rehabilitate tibetan refugees in south India....Karnataka has five settlements including doeguling settlement at Mundgod, the rabgavling settlement at Hunsur and the dhaondenling settlement at Kollegal. Two settlements the dickey larsoe settlement and the lungsung samtupling settlement are at Bylakuppe.

Now the Tibetan refuges settlements have become one of the tourist spot in my sore district with number of tourists who have selected to visit this settlements on the way to Coorg district.

These settlements has fringe majestic monasteries, hospitals, shopping complexes, parks and restaurants spread out over 3000 acres.

When UNI reporter visited the settlement and office bearers of the Tibetan youth wing expressed their happiness for their stay here at the same time acknowledging the aid provided by the Indian government right from the beginning besides encouragement from India has continued over the years, in spite of the frequent change of Governments at the centre. As the Tibetans are very hardworking the productivity of every inch of their land has always been at its peak there was a festival atmosphere when their worshipful guru his holiness Dalai lama who visit these settlements every year.

Tibetans of all ages who eager to see their leader and are visiting these places from all over the country.

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