Dear Friend,
As the nights grow longer and colder, I take comfort in the holiday lights that line the streets and decorate the houses of my small, Hudson Valley town. Whether they are strings of colored LEDs on a roof or elegant white tapered candles on a window sill, they flicker with a reassurance that with some effort, light will prevail. I’m grateful for every Hanukah menorah, Christmas tree, Diwali lamp and Kwanzaa kinara I see.
The tradition of setting up lights in the winter months can be found many places, including Ladakh. Yesterday, Siddhartha School students, staff and family members decorated their homes, temples businesses with traditional butter lamps, modern electric, and even solar powered lights. The occasion, Galdan Namchot, is to honor the great 14th-century saint Tsongkhapa, founder of the largest sect of Tibetan Buddhism. Each year this holiday falls on the 25th lunar day of the tenth month in the Tibetan calendar. It marks Tsongkhapa’s birth, death, and enlightenment.
The children like Tsewang Otsal, who drew Tsongkhapa as this week’s Siddhartha School hero, look forward to the day as a family time. School is out for the winter, the houses are cleaned and decorated, rows upon rows of butter lamps are lit with prayers for all living beings to be happy, joyous and free from ignorance, suffering and its causes.
All over Stok village rows of butter lamps are burning brightly. Tsongkhapa was known as a rigorous scholar and the founder of an equally rigorous monastic lineage that is presided over by the Dalai Lamas. In this rare footage from 1958, prior to the His Holiness’ escape to India, you can watch him visit Tsongkhapa’s tomb outside of Lhasa before undergoing his own Geshe degree examination.
In closing, I am delighted to share that Siddhartha School eighth-grade student, Miss Kesang Dolma-ley, received the TOP SCORE on the Leh district’s board examinations. This is a terrific achievement, as Miss Kesang distinguished herself and the school with the highest score among the 800+ students who sat for the annual exam. On behalf of the entire SSP board, we extend our admiration to Kesang, her classmates, and all teachers from all schools for their efforts to help Ladakhi young people reach their potential.
Kesang Dolma stands between Mam Dechen Wangmo, Siddhartha School’s Principal, and Kesang’s teachers, Geshe Thubten-ley. Kesang’s proud parents stand to Geshe-ley’s right and beam with pride.
Thank you for your continued support of the Siddhartha School. Like a row of lights brightening the night sky, you help illuminate a path for Ladakhi children to get a rich education that honors their beautiful traditions as it helps prepare them to succeed in a rapidly changing world.
With deep appreciation for all that you do to help,
Laura Kozaitis
Executive Director
Siddhartha School Project
