CHENNAI, India — New Delhi recently allowed Tibet's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, to visit the Buddhist monastery town of Tawang in India's northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh. This region, which lies on the Indo-Tibetan border, has long been claimed by China as its own — or at least parts of it, and most certainly Tawang.
Beijing calls Arunachal "Southern Tibet," and for many years India did not let the Dalai Lama visit Tawang. It relented this time over bitter protests by China.
Tawang occupies a special place in the heart of the Tibetan leader. It is the most sacred town on the Tibetan Buddhist map after Lhasa. And Tawang was the point through which he entered India 50 years ago after fleeing Tibet. He was sick, weak, depressed and angry at the time the people of Tawang offered him shelter and comfort. Later, Dharamshala in northern India became the Tibetan seat of administration in exile.