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Tibet Overview: HH Dalai Lama
Biography | International Appeals | The Great Escape | Dalai Lama books
In 1959, disguised as one of his bodyguards, the then 24 year old 14th Dalai Lama dramatically escaped out of Tibet.
Following the Monlam Prayer Festival in March, the Dalai Lama had been requested to attend a theatrical show at the Chinese military camp near Lhasa. He was instructed to arrive with no armed bodyguard and the whole affair was to be kept secret. This summons was most unusual and a rumour spread throughout Lhasa that the Chinese were planning to capture the Dalai Lama. The Tibetans revolted and tens of thousands surrounded the Norbulingka Palace preventing the Dalai Lama from leaving. After a few days stand-off the Dalai Lama received a letter informing of the Chinese intention to shell the Palace and asking the Dalai Lama to indicate on a map where he would be "so that the artillery could refrain from hitting whichever building within the Palace was marked". That evening, on 17 March, the decision was made by the Dalai Lama and his Cabinet that he must escape at once.
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Dalai Lama and his younger brother
during their escape
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