The Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama arrived Nubra Valley in Ladakh bordering Tibet Tuesday morning where he was welcomed by representatives of the local administration and monastic officials.
On his week-long visit to the region, the Dalai Lama will give a series of religious teachings and inaugurate the new Maitreya statue at Diskit Monastery, the region's oldest and largest monastery.
Chimme Rigzin Choekyappa, Private Secretary to the Dalai Lama, said the Dalai Lama has visited Ladakh on many occasions because of the large number of Buddhists in the region.
The Dalai Lama first visited Ladakh in 1967 followed by frequent visits to Leh, Nyuma, Hanle, Zanskar and Nubra. The Tibetan leader also gave Kalachakra initiations in Leh in 1976 and in Zangskar in 1988.
The revered Tibetan spiritual leader will give teachings at Samtenling Monastery in Sumur from July 21-22. On July 23, the Dalai Lama will give the oral transmission of The Diamond Sutra (dorje chotpa) at Yarma Gonbo Monastery and he will lead the blessing ceremony (rabney) of the new Maitreya Statue at Disket Monastery on July 25.
The Dalai Lama will give teachings on Geshe Langri Thangpa's Eight Verses of Training the Mind (lojong tsik gyema) and Tsongkhapa's The Three Principal Paths (lamtso namsum) at Disket Phodrang from July 26-27.
