Headline from the Sun-Herald 5th April 1959, of the Dalai Lama’s amazing trek to India from Tibet, to escape the Chinese Communists.Credit:The Sun-Herald

Originally Published in The Sun-Herald 5th April, 1959

From OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT

LONDON, Saturday.— The incredible story of how the twenty three-year-old Dalai Lama reached India was being pieced together in New Delhi last night.

The young "god-king" escaped from his war-torn fairytale land with 20,000 Red Chinese troops pursuing him.

Mother in party
As he reached safety there were reports that the Chinese were bringing up 100,000 reinforcements in Central Tibet for an all-out attempt to smash the rebellion.

For the way the Dalai Lama escaped shows that the Chinese have far from crushed the Tibetans.
On the morning of March 17 the Dalai Lama got away from his summer palace in Lhasa and "walked right through the Chinese Army."

His mother, the 57-year old Gyuam Chemo, and his 26-year-old sister, Tsering, and 14-year-old brother, Ngari, met him outside the city with a band of devoted followers, including four Cabinet Ministers.

The long march—partly on foot, partly by yak, pony and mule—began.

The escapers, winding their way over mountains and through thick jungle, knew that the worst part of the journey was the first 50 miles.

Carefully they pierced the ring of Chinese around Lhasa—soldiers with instructions to kill the Dalai Lama's followers, but to capture him unharmed.

After five days travelling, the Dalai Lama met a group of supporters ready to guide him to safety in India.

From this point he followed a long line of forts and monasteries bearing south-east from Lhasa across southern central Tibet. All the time thousands of Chinese soldiers, backed by planes and paratroops, were after him.

The incredible thing is that the Dalai Lama and his party were able to cross this area in a fortnight — from March 17th to March 31st — the day the Dalai Lama reached the Indian frontier.

Time surprise
Experts on Tibet say that 14 days would be good time for a trader — without having to dodge and hide from a pursuing army.

The implication is that the Tibetan rebels must still hold a great deal of this territory.

It is the reason why the Chinese are now bringing up more troops.

One of the Dalai Lama's problems was to get across the mountains.

He was helped by patriotic followers south of Lhasa with mules, ponies and yaks.

Others brought in fresh supplies of animals on the way down to India.

The Dalai Lama's mother is a particularly good horsewoman. So too is his sister.

The "Daily Express" correspondent in Kalimpong says that as the Dalai Lama neared the border of India he sent this radio message to Mr Nehru: "Shall I go into Bhutan or will it endanger them?
"Shall I come into India – or-will it embarrass you? Or shall I choose death?"

Mr Nehru replied: "You are not a refugee. You are an honoured guest. Come."

Tibetans in India are rejoicing, although, as a people, they seldom show such emotion.

A monk in rich red and chocolate robes smlled broadly when told of the Dalai Lama's escape.

He took off his brown Trilby hat— a favourite headgear—and showing his shaved head said:
"We prayed for his holiness. We knew he would be safe. Tibet will live on under – our beloved Dalai Lama."

Source: Read Full Article