AMARAVATHI (GUNTUR DT.): Deviating from the schedule, the organisers of Kalachakra 2006 allowed people to watch the mandala drawn with sand from Saturday to avoid too much of rush.

The Haj tragedy wherein more than 300 people were killed in a stampede during the ritual of stoning the devil at Mina in Saudi Arabia, taught a lesson to the organisers of Kalachakra.

Against the usual practice of allowing people to watch mandala for only a few hours on the last day just before dismantling it, the police advised them to spread the viewing over the last three days so that majority of the 80,000 people congregating here could have a look at it.

Long queues

On Sunday there were long queues at the main preaching area and the Tibetan security personnel controlled the crowds and made them come from one side and leave the dais from the other.

Minister for Municipal Administration Koneru Ranga Rao was also a sufferer with the security personnel making him stand in the queue for more than one-and-a-half hour before he could he could come closer to the place where the Dalai Lama sat. The mandala drawn with coloured sand will be immersed in the Krishna on Monday afternoon.

Self-generation prayers

The self-generation prayers continued on Sunday with the Dalai Lama participating in it and giving empowerment teachings, while people thronged in thousands to witness the colourful sand mandala.

Before and after the self-generation prayers, the Dalai Lama spent a lot of time to receive a host of VIPs at his guesthouse and at the main preaching site and posing for photographs along with them.

He obliged the local police personnel, officials of several departments engaged in providing basic amenities. While the Dalai Lama continued his teachings appealing for world peace and co-existence, several locals and foreigners made a beeline to the main dais and Maha Chaitya here. The Kalachakra 2006 will come to an end here on Monday.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail