My encounter with the Dalai Lama

Madhurkankana Roy about her meeting with Dalai Lama in Delhi last Sunday:
There was immense positivity felt in the room. His graceful presence ushered in happiness, a smile on everyone’s face. Awestruck by his presence, the energy generated was beyond comprehension.

“Smile Legacy”

By Madhurkankana Roy. New Delhi, India

The legacy of Swami Vivekananda is relevant to India at a time when the Indian society in particular and world at large is redefining itself to changing times and becoming more just and equitable.

Commemorating 150th birth anniversary celebrations of Swami Vivekananda, the Indian Council for Cultural Relations had organised for an interfaith conference titled 'One World Religions: Diversity, Not Dissension’ to understand the essence of religious faiths and how ‘Religion should be a weapon for self-transformation as well as transformation of the society’ in this age of religious animosities.

Spread out over three days, the conference had magnanimous personalities in the likes of His Holiness Dalai Lama, Maulana Wahiduddin Khan, Rev Mpho Tutu, Dr.Karan Singh and others following nine different faiths, address member audience.

My association with the Conference happened at a professional level. Initially it was more like any other conference organised by ICCR and that my participation would solely be for coordination purpose. With much work to finish I was not really looking at some spiritual upliftment of the self. It was more like a task to be finished successfully. However things started moving at a different pace as the conference gradually moved towards the Valedictory function on the 9th of March 2013.

I was asked to be at the reception for receiving guests. The multipurpose Hall of India International Centre was almost full. The fully packed house reverberated with anticipation, eagerness of people wanting to listen to His Holiness Dalai Lama. As the clock struck 10, the fleet of security vehicles arrived, and after them followed a white sedan. It stopped just in front of the Hall. A man stepped out of the car. People flocked towards him. His Holiness had arrived. I had once read somewhere that his mere presence has touched and transformed millions of lives. Perhaps I was one of them. I was awestruck by his presence. I did not know how to react. His aura almost pushed me to a trance like state for a few moments, until I felt a sudden adrenaline rush and I walked towards him. Amidst the crowd, I saw him smiling at me. He forwarded his right hand. I looked at his eyes and his eyes spoke to me. They had the expression “I am glad to meet you”. I felt blessed.

And he walked ahead of me. I followed.

There was immense positivity felt in the room. His graceful presence ushered in happiness, a smile on everyone’s face. Awestruck by his presence, the energy generated was beyond comprehension. Like the Buddha himself, His Holiness too, with his ever-smiling face, reaches out to people in ways that connect to their individual mental dispositions, abilities, and everyday realities.

His Holiness spoke about Buddhism, co-existence with other faiths, self criticism and reasoning. As was discussed in the Conference, his main concern along with others present there, was how to arrive at a common platform of universal brotherhood. He emphasised on Love and Compassion as the primary weapon to win hearts across the globe. Indeed everyone of us sitting there that day were hit by the weapon of his smiling face. The radiance of his compassionate face transported us to a different level of consciousness.  His humour is the hallmark of His Holiness and speaking in plain simple English, without mincing words, he made the philosophy of life and living so easily understandable. His words weighed and deep and yet so light that they seemed to be flying up to the shining eternity.

My short stint with His Holiness made a huge impact on me. His presence, shaking hands, infused some kind of calmness in me. My unstable, restless mind, felt a kind of peace within, that it was almost like a healing touch. His smile was infectious! I carried it forward, as if I had to preserve and promote his legacy to share a smile as long as I lived.


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When you are motivated by the desire to transcend suffering, to get out of a difficult situation, and to help others to do the same, you become a powerful source of energy that helps you to do what you want to do to transform yourself and to help people.