Religious perspective should change with times: His Holiness

Super-speciality hospital inaugurated at Tawang

TAWANG, Nov 9: It was a dream come true for the people of Tawang and remote villages in the mountainous district. Tibetan spiritual leader, the 14th Dalai Lama, today inaugurated the OPD building of the super-specialty the Khando Dowa Sangmo Hospital at Tawang, bridging the gap between the needy and state-of-the art health care facilities.

After the inauguration and consecration of a Buddha statue in the premises, the Dalai Lama appealed to the doctors and medical staff to provide proper health care facilities to the needy people with sincerity.

“When you treat a patient you are giving him a new life. So be dedicated in your profession,” he said while maintaining that the relation between patient and doctor should be always cordial.

Stressing on use of Ayurvedic and traditional medicine for curing several chronic diseases, the Dalai Lama said that such medicines without any side effects are popular in many countries in America and Europe too. Many medical institutions in India and other countries are using such medicines for curing various chronic diseases and getting surprise results, he said.

The hospital, named after the legendary Khando Dowa Sangmo (the holy mother of the Monpa community), has been upgraded from the existing district hospital with all modern health care facilities.

Dr N Namsum, Medical Superintendent of the Hospital, informed that the concept of internet has been incorporated by the hospital for facilitating face to face interaction with experts around the globe by the doctors of the Hospital. He said that all the facilities required for a super-specialty hospital like X-Ray, ECG, Ultrasound and modern laboratory technology is available in the Hospital. Besides, it also has a spacious conference hall with audio-visual aid for continuous medical education and training.

At the moment, the hospital has 10 doctors and 24 nurses in its roll.

The Dalai Lama had contributed Rs 20 lakh for the construction of the building while Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu contributed Rs 90 lakh. In the establishment of the Rs 1.20 crore Hospital, contributions had also come in from Tawang MLA Tsewang Dhondhup, former MPs Kiren Rijiju and Nabum Rebia and other public leaders.

Meanwhile, in an effort to save the environment from ill effects of global warming, the Dalai Lama distributed over 1500 blessed saplings to the people of Tawang to be planted in various parts of the town. He planted one sapling at Yid Gha Choezin (Gompa).

Later, thousands thronged the ground adjacent to the Tawang Monastery to listen to the holy discourse by the Dalai Lama.

“We must respect our own religion and have full faith on it while respecting others,” he advised while suggesting that religious perspective should change as per the need of changing times. However, he lamented the people’s gradual loss of faith on religionand urged them to preach and preserve it.

“When we speak of religion, if it is not from the inner core of the heart it is a sin. Similarly, when listening to religious discourse one must be attentive and try to understand it, otherwise it is useless,” the Dalai Lama said. THE SENTINEL