Indian Government Releases Stamp on Drukpa Lineage

NEW DELHI, May 16, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --

Department of Post, Ministry of Communication and IT, Government of India today celebrated Buddha Purnima with the release of a commemorative stamp on the Drukpa Buddhists. The Drukpa Lineage, based in the Himalayas, is the most prominent Buddhist lineage in India. The commemorative stamp celebrating the 999 years of Drukpa Lineage was released by Shri SK Sinha, Member (HRD), Department of Post in the august presence of the Gyalwang Drukpa, spiritual head of Drukpa Buddhists and Drukpa Thuksey Rinpoche, spiritual regent of the lineage, at a glittering ceremony in Delhi.

     (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140515/686850 )

Present at the stamp release function were diplomats representing various countries, ministers, followers of the Drukpa Lineage, monks and nuns, along with Arjun Pandey, Director of Strategy and Planning of the lineage, as well as various other officials from the Department of Post. Monks and Nuns performed chanting and prayers on the occasion of Budh Poornima and for the welfare of all sentient beings.

The Gyalwang Drukpa, spiritual head of Drukpa Buddhists said, "Drukpa Buddhists are overjoyed with the honour and recognition bestowed by the government. And the Department could not have chosen a better platform than Buddha Purnima to showcase this honour and support for the lineage. The Drukpa Lineage is predominant in the Himalayas, and we act as a buffer between India and China, protecting the sensitive border region."

Speaking during the release of the commemorative stamp, Arjun Pandey commented, "The Drukpa Lineage has a rich and fascinating history. As they prepare for their millennium celebration in 2016, the government recognition for their contribution to the country in general and Buddhism in particular is noteworthy and much appreciated."

About The Drukpa Lineage:  

The Drukpa Buddhists follow the Mahayana Buddhist tradition in philosophy, i.e. the philosophy of "getting enlightened for the benefit of others" and the methods are based on the Tantrayana teachings passed down from the great Indian saint Naropa, born in 1016. "Druk" means "Dragon" and it also refers to the sound of thunder. In 1206, the first Gyalwang Drukpa, Naropa's reincarnation, saw nine dragons fly up into the sky from the ground of Namdruk, and he named his lineage "Drukpa" or "lineage of the Dragons" after this auspicious event. Today, the Drukpa Lineage sprawls over major parts of the Himalayas, especially in Ladakh, Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti in India, as well as Bhutan and Nepal. Bhutan, also known as "Druk Yul" or "Land of Thunder Dragons", honours the Drukpa Lineage as its state religion. The lineage is also widely practiced in many countries throughout the world, especially Vietnam, another nation deeply influenced by the legends of "Dragons". For more information on the lineage, please visit: http://www.drukpacouncil.org

About The Gyalwang Drukpa 

The Gyalwang Drukpa is the head of the thousand year old Drukpa Order, based in the Himalayas and has millions of followers worldwide. His mission is to promote universal harmony and inner peace by integrating the spiritual tenets of love and appreciation into daily lives. His work includes promoting gender equality; establishing educational institutions, medical clinics and meditation centres; and rebuilding heritage sites in the Himalayas. He is the founder and spiritual director of the award-winning Druk White Lotus School in Ladakh, India, which provides its students with a modern education while preserving their local culture. In 2007, the Gyalwang Drukpa founded the not-for-profit international humanitarian organization, Live to Love, which has Aamir Khan and Michelle Yeoh as its global ambassadors. In September 2010, the United Nations honoured the Gyalwang Drukpa with the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) Award for his efforts to "create compassion into action". In September 2013, he was named the "Guardian of the Himalayas" by Waterkeeper Alliance (an NGO founded by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.) for his conservation efforts in the Himalayas.  

For more details, please visit his official website: http://www.drukpa.org

For further press information please contact:
Shreeya Roy Bhowmik
[email protected]
Mob: +91-9350335761

SOURCE Drukpa Lineage