At one of the most popular monasteries situated near Dharamshala - Gyuto Tantric Monastery, around 160 monks have been reported of being covid-19 positive. This has spread panic among the Tibetans and locals in Himachal Pradesh.
The fresh cases were reported at a time when the medical teams were preparing for the vaccination of Dalai Lama, the 85-year-old Tibetan spiritual leader.
A large number of monks testing positive for Covid is a serious matter for the district administration, stated Deputy Commissioner Kangra Rakesh Prajapati
“The monastery was closed ever since the outbreak of the pandemic, the monks –numbering 330 were inside the place busy with their studies and meditations. I wonder how the infection reached them leaving half of the infected”, said Prajapati.
Things are under control and the monks are home-isolating now, said Prajapati, adding that the monks are being supervised by a team of doctors and are in close contact with the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) authorities.
He added, “All heads of the Tibetan monasteries have been asked to take precautions and maintain social distancing. This particularly being an isolated incident because all of them were together at one place is only a relief to us about infection confined to one monastery”.
Prajapati said, "Vaccination schedule for his Holiness Dalai Lama has been finalized after discussions with his office and CTA. There will be around 70 people in his staff and monks, who will get the shots. Dalai Lama has not come out of his palace since the outbreak of the pandemic".
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The monastery as of now has been declared as a containment area.
Located on Dharamshala-Palampur road outside the main town at Sidhbari the Gyuto Tantric Monastery is the most captivating place located in the foothills of the Dhauladhar ranges. It is a tourist attraction having a huge number of monks who practise and study Tantric ritual arts and Buddhist philosophy.
Coronavirus cases have risen in two districts, Kangra and Shimla in the past few weeks, even though the number of active cases has fallen.