LEISURE & CULTURAL ACTIVITIES:

Life is, fortunately, not only work and study and the Centre has tried its best to provide a wide variety of recreations and entertainment.  These include a recreation room with indoor games, Cable TV and video shows.  Cultural programmes are organised and performed by the Centre’s people themselves.  The staff, workers and students of the Centre have formed a Sports Club, which provides opportunity to learn different games and participate in local tournaments.  The club has its own artistes who stage different historical dramas and traditional cultural shows for the entertainment of the Centre people as well as the general public, thus raising funds for maintenance of the club. These events never fail to draw a big crowd including many foreign tourists.

The most popular Tibetan festivals are ‘Losar’ or Tibetan New Year, Birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama on 6th July, Foundation Day on 2nd October, Children’s Day on 14th November and Commemoration of the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to His Holiness on 10th December. These are eagerly awaited holidays which can range from one to five days. Traditional butter tea and specially prepared Tibetan food not forgetting the ever popular ‘Chang’ or Tibetan beer  is lavishly served and the merry making continues from early morning to late evenings. Games of dice, dominoes and playing cards have their aficionados.  Sometimes, fairs are also held for which local people make a beeline to the Centre.