Three Lives and A Song: Disappearance of Panchen Lama
Today marks the 18th year of Tibet’s XIth Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima’s disappearance into Chinese custody. One of the most important spiritual leaders of Tibet, the then six-year-old Gedhun Choekyi Nyima and his family members were ‘disappeared’ by the Chinese authorities on 17 May 1995, just three days after His Holiness the Dalai Lama recognized him as the reincarnation of the previous Xth Panchen Lama.
TCHRD has translated the lyrics of a song, “Dear Panchen Lama”, sung by the imprisoned Tibetan singer Lolo about the previous Xth Panchen Lama and his ‘disappeared’ reincarnation.
On 23 February this year, Lolo, 30, was sentenced to six years in prison for singing songs containing politically-charged lyrics.
Lobsang Jinpa, 31, a monk from the besieged Nyatso Zilkar Monastery penned the lyrics of the song. Lobsang Jinpa was also sentenced, along with Lolo, to five years in prison.
And the subject of the song, Tibet’s Panchen Lama, remains ‘disappeared’.
Click here for the video of the song on Youtube: http://youtu.be/JXMmFCFFgSY
‘Dear Panchen Lama’
The majestic serene snow mountains
From the edge of the erected pillars of history
The warm love for Tibet mustn’t disappear
Victory to Panchen Lama — the hero of Tibet
From beneath the all-pervasive brute force
From the rock-inflicted wounds on spirituality and temporality
Raise the melodious slogans of patriotism in the sky
The Boddhisatva
Who opposed the backwardness
The gang of bandits who turn [the meaning of] Karma upside down
Amid the battle of lies, deception and oppression
[You] sacrificed your life to [rescue] truth from lies
Who else but you, is the messenger of the 21st century?
Even if the sad, departing moon-face crosses the western hills
Amid the flood of tears [we] wait for your re-incarnation
The dawn of the new day is arrested by the enemy’s darkness
The soul of the Snowlanders has never been colder
