Tenshug Offering to His Holiness the Dalai Lama - Former CST Darjeeling Students Assemble in McLeodganj

Tenshug refers to a ceremonial and devotional request made to a great spiritual teacher to live long and continue turning the Wheel of Dharma for the benefit of all sentient beings.

Former CST Central School for Tibetans (CST), Darjeeling, have gathered in large numbers from across the globe in McLeodganj, Dharamshala, to offer “Tenshug – a long life prayer ceremony” to His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama.

The event, which is scheduled to be held at the Tsuglagkhang Temple Complex on the 4th of June, 2025, is a deeply spiritual and emotional occasion for the alumni, many of whom have travelled from Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Sikkim, Arunachal, Nepal, Bhutan and as far as North America, Europe, and other parts of Asia. The offering of “Tenshug” represents a heartfelt plea for the continued health, long life, and spiritual guidance of His Holiness.

Tenshug (བརྟན་བཞུགས་), literally meaning “to remain steadfast,” is a traditional Tibetan Buddhist ceremony wherein disciples and followers express their devotion and request great spiritual teachers to remain in this world for the benefit of all sentient beings. The ritual typically includes symbolic offerings, long-life prayers, recitations, and the presentation of mandalas and representations of enlightened body, speech, and mind.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for us to express our deep gratitude to His Holiness,” said Tsultrim Dorjee, a 1997 graduate of CST Darjeeling and one of the key organizers. “Our generation owes much of our education, identity, and resilience to the guidance of His Holiness, and today we come together to offer our collective prayer for his long life.”

The event also highlighted the continued bond among CST Darjeeling alumni and their commitment to the values taught by His Holiness – compassion, education, and the preservation of Tibetan culture and identity.

The long life prayer offering comes at a significant time, as followers of Tibetan Buddhism across the world continue to draw strength and guidance from His Holiness, who remains an enduring symbol of peace, non-violence, and spiritual wisdom.