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The sacred month of Saka Dawa takes place in May and in Tibet the Chinese government has enforced a series of measures to prevent Tibetan children from taking part in the festival. A leaked document reveals an order issued by the Education Affairs Committee, the Municipal Peoples Government and the Municipal Education Bureau of the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) that Tibetan parents should not take their children to monasteries or let them engage in any other religious events during this month. One school in Tibet is reported by Radio Free Asia (RFA) as sending a notice to parents: “If your children miss any days of school, and are later found to have been secretly taken to a monastery or religious festival, your family will be reported directly to the City Education Bureau…Action will be taken against anyone not complying with this order”.

The Chinese authorities have stated that this imposition was driven by the notion of keeping religion and education separate saying that religion hinders state education.

RFA reports a school teacher in the Tibetan capital of Lhasa as saying “the ban on monastery visits has always extended to teachers and staff in the schools. But they can always recite mantras by themselves.” RFA reports another source as saying that on May 16, “an unusually large number of Tibetans were out walking devotional circuits on both the outer and inner ring roads of the Barkhor in Lhasa’s old city centre” and that Tibetans are still observing this holy month despite the numerous restrictions set by the Chinese authorities.

A similar ban has been enforced on Muslims which prohibits them from fasting in their holy month of Ramadan.

Saka Dawa began this year on the 16th of the month in accordance with the Tibetan calendar. Saka Dawa marks the birth, enlightenment, and the Pari nirvana (demise) and noble activities of the Lord Buddha. The full moon day, the 15th day of Saka Dawa, celebrates the Buddha’s three most important deeds, making it the most important and holy day of the month.

His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama began the month of Saka Dawa by blessing his devotees with the Avalokiteshvara six-syllable empowerment ( Joluk Chenrisig Yege Drukmey Jenang) in Tsuklagkhang, the main temple in Dharamshala. His Holiness said, “these teachings help us counter our self-cherishing attitude and ignorance. All the happiness and joy come from dependence on others. The right attitude for taking care of oneself is in taking care of others”.