Visions of Potala

On this pristine clear day, under a clear blue sky, with the winter chill across our faces we sat quietly in the mellow morning sun in the courtyard of what is now the defacto headquarter of the Tibetian government in exile - the Namgyal Monastry. We sat, watched and wondered. Not a word was spoken till I asked baba, why is it that I do not feel so strongly about my homeland ... Our homeland... In Bangladesh ... Kumilla, on the banks of the mighty Meghna river? Yet here we are at this Monastry where third generation children are so full of faith, in a mere human being and in a Monastry in a distant land that they or their fathers have never seen - Potala palace. Some going to the extent of immolating themselves for this.
"Perhaps because when we were forced out by partition we came to a place where the language, culture, cuisine were the same. In a way it was like moving from one room of the house to the other and yet it was so so different and difficult. From landed feudals we were refugees overnight..no asset, no address no identity.. Where as for the Tibetians it was far worse, to have had to settle in a land that they had no idea of, it was like moving from one room to another room in another house in another timescape, in another country... Their loss is far worse, far hard hitting, far cruel than ours " said baba.
True baba made a lot of sense, I have no idea about our roots in Bangladesh and frankly I don't care. But the Tibetians in exile stand to lose everything ... Culture, history, tradition, language...their existence is in jeopardy. Yet they believe that one day they will return to the promised land, that the sacrifices of the martyrs will not go in vain. Yet all the strife and struggle and protest and resistance is peaceful... Can't say that about any other religion in the world. My respects...