The Chinese launched greater attacks and on 20 March, they started shelling Norbulingka palace. His escape had not yet come to light, but fighting had broken out as the Tibetan forces were supporting the people of Lhasa. After a short prayer, they moved on towards the Yarlung Tsangpo, or the Brahmaputra river, to cross over into southern Tibet. It would be the last time he would get a glimpse of Lhasa. The escape party rode most of the night, only stopping briefly on their way to the Che-La mountain pass, and reached the top at daybreak. It was only then, His Holiness recalled later, that he put his glasses back on and was again able to see clearly. His Holiness and those accompanying him quickly crossed the Kyichu River, where the two groups were waiting on the other side. With over tens of thousands of PLA soldiers in the area, the likelihood of being spotted and detained was a real risk. Slung across his other shoulder was a rifle. The thangka was an object of great spiritual significance. Slung across his left shoulder was a cylindrical case which housed a very precious item – a thangka of the protector-goddess Palden Lhamo that had once belonged to the Second Dalai Lama. Shortly before ten at night, he dressed as a soldier in trousers and a Tibetan chuba (robe) and walked out of Norbulingka. After offering a silk khatag, His Holiness finished his prayers and left. …Tibet’s destiny would change forever on the fateful day of 17 March 1959.įor one last time His Holiness visited his personal shrine dedicated to Mahakala, the protector deity for the Dalai Lamas. On the night of 17 March, the twenty-three-year-old Dalai Lama, disguised as a soldier, left his summer palace and embarked on a long, dangerous journey to India into exile, not knowing when he would see his country or people again. Just at that moment, two shells exploded outside the palace building. This time – the oracle, swaying in a trance – said dramatically ‘go, go, go tonight’ and even gave instructions on the exact escape route to take, and then fell unconscious on the floor. The next day, he sought out the oracle again. The thought of violence and the inevitable loss of life greatly upset His Holiness. The Nechung oracle advised His Holiness to remain in Lhasa and engage with the Chinese… A few tense days later, a second visit… yielded the same message… On 16 March, the General informed the Dalai Lama that the Chinese were preparing to attack the Norbulingka. He also ordered the Tibetan government to remove barricades placed on a road outside Lhasa, which were blocking the movement of Chinese troops. On the General’s second request to move to their headquarters, the Dalai Lama tactfully agreed. On 11 March, the Kashag requested leaders of the crowd outside the palace to withdraw. The General wrote to the Dalai Lama, asking him to move to their military headquarters for his safety. On 10 March, General Tan Kuan-sen threatened ‘drastic measures.’ Later that day, Tibetan officials repudiated the 17-Point Agreement. The leaders were later either imprisoned or executed. 12 March is now known as Women’s Uprising Day. On 12th March 1959, a spontaneous gathering of 15,000 women from all regions of Tibet flocked to an area below Potala palace in a remarkable act of bravery. To ease tensions, Tibetan officials reassured the crowds that the Dalai Lama would not attend the Chinese function. Furthermore, this furnishes sufficient reason for future pacification and reform.’ The situation at Norbulingka had become a tinderbox. We can train troops, and toughen the masses. Earlier that year on 18 February, in a secret ‘situation report’, Chairman Mao had said, ‘The more chaotic Tibet gets, the better. By midday, the huge crowd of thirty thousand grew restive. He instructed… that His Holiness should come without protection and in secret… The news spread like wildfire and on 10 March, large crowds gathered outside the Norbulingka palace to prevent the Dalai Lama from going, suspecting it was a ruse by the Chinese to hold him hostage or worse, harm him. Right after the Great Prayer Festival on 9 March (1959), Brigadier Fu, who was in charge of PLA troops in Lhasa, invited the Dalai Lama for a theatrical performance at their headquarters. His Holiness wrote, ‘Tibet was rapidly slipping not only from Chinese control, but also from my own.’ Violence in other parts of the country continued… As a result, the Chinese adopted more brutal intimidation tactics. An entirely new section of the city, including army barracks, a hospital and school, had been built to accommodate the Chinese. In the six years since the Chinese arrived in Lhasa, the capital had changed immensely.
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