KINNAUR

The recently published District Gazetteer of Kinnaur mentions :-

"Kinnaur district, especially the Hangrang valley has had the good fortune of a Locharimbochhe born at Sumra who died some years back. He used to live at Kee gunfa in the Spiti valley of Lahul and Spiti district. After his death, according to the custom, his deputy called Changjad, went to the Dalai Lama and requested him to identify the new Locharimbochhe. The Dalai Lama revealed that a boy born in a Rajput family of village Shyalkhar was the new Locharimbochhe.

The newly discovered Locharimbochhe lived only for four years. Again the Changjad went to the Dalai Lama to find out the next Locharimbochhe. The Dalai Lama informed the deputy that the next Locharimbochhe will be born in the same house, and of the same parents from whom the former Locharimbochhe had been born. After three days of the death of the previous Locharimbochhe, a boy was born to the same parents. The Changjad located the child and deputed a person to look after him in his parent's house, and he went back to the Kee gunfa.

The man appointed to look after the young lama continues to tutor the boy for being ordained as the next Locharimbochhe. The Sub-Editor and staff of the District Gazetteers visited this young Locharim- bochhe in that village in 1964. As soon as the staff bowed their heads before the child, he gracefully placed his tiny hand over their heads as a mark of blessing them. The child appeared to be a promising and of uncommon intelligence among the children of that age in Shyalkhar.

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