Looking for Joy

By Sam Ferguson / May 2, 2015;

His Holiness the Dalai Lama receives Archbishop Tutu at the Kangra airport
Photo: OHHDL/Tenzin Choejor

South African apartheid activist and Nobel Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu visited Dharamasala this month to celebrate His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s 80^th birthday. He arrived for his week-long visit at Kangra airport on April 18 where he was greeted by both the Dalai Lama and the elected head of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile (CTA), Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay.

The visit saw the two Nobel laureates start their collaboration on a book entitled The book of Joy; Finding Happiness in an Uncertain World. The publication is being co-written by Doug Adams who has worked with Archbishop Tutu previously.

Blowing the candles
Photo: OHHDL/Tenzin Choejor

The Archbishop, 83, visitited the Golden Temple in Amritsar on his way to Dharamasala. His Holiness’s birthday celebrations saw the Archbishop being photographed laughing and dancing as His Holiness and two children blew out the candles on his cake. The Archbishop thanked the Indian people for giving the Dalai Lama and the Tibetans a home, saying “What a great treasure that would otherwise have been lost”.

The Archbishop later attended a dinner reception and cultural show hosted by the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts (TIPA). Here, he was quoted as saying “It is important to preserve your culture and tradition, and I am glad to see that you have preserved your culture so well. It is a moment of great pride”.

This was the Archbishop’s second visit to Dharamshala, his first being in 2012. In contrast, the Dalai Lama has been barred from entering South Africa on three occasions within the same period. The Archbishop has publically derided his country’s stance, which he says is at odds with the human rights image South Africa has been working towards since the end of apartheid. Tutu said “I am so thrilled to be with my dear friend, things and people tried to keep us apart, but the love we have for one another and the goodness of our cause makes us meet again”.

Among the Archbishop’s party was his daughter Mpho, who collaborated with him on his earlier publication The Book of Forgiveness. It is thought that the Book of Joy will be modelled on this earlier publication, and will explore what joy is in terms of love, happiness and compassion.