Facilities

Temple

templeThe temple is the focal point of Norbulingka, and AOTC. Inside the temple are 1,173 painted images of Buddha and a large, 13 metre high gilded copper statue of Buddha made at Norbulingka.



 

Library

 

 

 

 

The Library is on the second floor of the temple and has a full-time librarian, Kelsang Tsultrim. It contains books, academic journals, magazines and newspapers in Tibetan and English.

 

Mess

 

 

 

 

The mess is where the students eat all their meals, together with the apprentices and some staff. It is a ten minute walk from the hostel.

 

Class & Computer room

 

 

 

 

AOTC has two classrooms, a computer room, and a teachers room. Outside there is a large balcony where students and teachers can sit in the sun, surrounded by beautiful, tall trees.

 

Hostel & Student rooms

The hostel is situated about five minutes from the temple. It has fourteen student rooms, with communal shower rooms, a small kitchen and tv room.

This photo shows the rooms at the Hostel.

Tashi Tsering has this room to himself at the moment.

Usually, two students share a room.
This photo shows Dhondup who shares with Tenzin Gesang.

 

 

Outings & Activities

Students attend the annual Spring Teaching by His Holiness at the main temple in Mcleod Ganj and teachings for the Tibetan youth.

Audience with Karmapa

Every month, the students invite a guest lecturer to speak to them on topics related to their studies, or to increase their wider knowledge.

Each year, the students prepare a presentation, shegur chemo, on one aspect of their studies, which they give in the temple to an invited audience of teachers and staff from the Research section. The audience are encouraged to ask difficult questions about the presentation.

For the last two years we have organised a poetry competition. Poems in any of the three languages taught at AOTC and in any style, can be submitted. In 2007, the winner was Nyima Tso and in 2008 the winner was Da-Palden.

 

 

Educational Tours

The teachers organised an educational tour for the students in 2005, 2006, 2007 and in 2009. These trips are intended to broaden students' knowledge and understanding.

We have taken two groups of students to Amritsar to see the Golden Temple, Jalianwalla Bagh and the Wagah border ceremony. In 2006, we went to Tso Pema to see the place where Guru Rinpoche meditated before he travelled to Tibet.

In 2008/2009, the teachers and students embarked on a programme to raise funds for a trip to Spiti and Ladakh. After seven events, including two lotteries, a dinner, two food stalls and a games mela, we had sufficient funds to plan and book a four-week trip.

The students went by road to Leh, visited monasteries, schools and an old people's home, before going on to the nomad region of Tsomoriri and finally, to a teaching by His Holiness in Kaza, Spiti.

Below is a small selection of photos from these trips.

Group photo at Jalilanwallah Bagh


Preparing dinner at Tso Pema

Students at the Wagah border with Pakistan


Students at Leh Gompa enjoying the view across the Indus valley with Stok Kangri in the background

The Director of the Old People's Home in Choglamsar leading the way up to Namgyal Tsemo Gompa, Leh

The computer teacher holding a Cham mask at Matho Monastery

Group photo of the students at Hemis monastery

Students and teachers having picnic lunch after their visit to Hemis Monastery

Da-Palden and Tenzin Rabten in charge of the trip camera

Students and teachers in the Library at Lamdon School, Leh

The poetry teacher in conversation at the Old People's Home, Leh

The trip monitor enjoying the fabulous scenery at Tsomoriri

More students at Tsomoriri

At the teaching by His Holiness in Kaza, Spiti

Thank you to TCV Choglamsar for accommodation and food in Leh

 

 

Basketball Tournament

Most years, there is a basketball tournament at Norbulingka. The students enter a team and compete with teams from all other sections. Some years they reach the semi-finals but so far have not won the competition.

Kelsang Yeshi with the winning basketball teams

Students taking part in the annual basketball tournament

 

 

Social Service

Once in a month, the students go to an NGO, Hospital, Monastery or Old Age Home to do social work, for example, cleaning.

Students cleaning at Gyuto Monastery


Students cleaning at Delek Hospital

Cleaning inside Delek Hospital

 

 

Annual Norbulingka Picnic

Each year, Norbulingka holds a picnic for Norbulingka staff and students. Every section performs a dance, drama or Tibetan songs during the picnic.

Students dancing at the picnic

Students taking a bow at the picnic

Student drama at the Annual picnic

 

 


AOTC, Norbulingka Institute, PO Sidhpur, Distt-Kangra 176057, Himachal Pradesh
Tel: +91-1892-246402/246405 Fax: +91-1892-46404 Email: NorlingCollege@yahoo.com