HHDL meets with Omar Abdullah, Chief Minister of J&K

Yesterday I could not believe the newspapers that His Holiness is here in Kashmir Valley for a 4 day visit before he heads up to Zanskar and Ladhak for teaching.
I am just so happy that he can spend some time here meet the politicians (hopefully speak some sense into them) and bless this war torn region. Of course the first thing to do when ones beloved Guru comes to town is to find out where he is staying and bring him a bunch of flowers.

Turns out he is staying at the Nehru Guest House  and I believe this may even be the home of Pundit Nehru, but I will have to check. So getting flowers was fun because it was a strike that day with a curfew in the old town.

Patroling the empty street in riot gear

Strike; no shops open.

Not a shop in site was open and the armed forces were on the streets. So into a tuck tuck (auto rickshaw) in the pouring rain and down to Lalchowk (the main centre of town) to find a florist. Luckily, so luckily the auto driver found a shop with its shutter open slightly, so we pulled up and I snuck under the opening and into the shop. Strike, curfew or whatever I had a mission, I was so excited and nothing would stop me. Yes! they were open, well kind of open off just do not tell the politician that called for the strike. Yahoo!! 5 minutes, one bunch of red and pink/orange lilies and 400 rupees later  we were off again in the tuck tuck racing and dogging the pilgrim/ tourist traffic headed down the Dal Lake boulevard in search of the Nehru Guest House. We ended up half way up the hill and overlooking Dal Lake in a very quiet spot, just beautiful. After some chatting with the security guards on the gate and interacting with one of the Tibetan security guard whom I recognised, I can report that the flowers were scanned and patted down, approved off and then delivered to His Holiness; that just made my day. Here to a very successful and productive visit.

His Holiness arrives in the Kashmir Valley. http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/tibetan-spiritual-leader-dalai-lama-arrives-in-kashmir-for-week-long-visit/1/207840.html

His Holiness talks on the need for dialogue to resolve the Kahsmri political conflict. http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/JAndK/Dialogue-only-way-to-resolve-issues-Dalai-Lama/Article1-888934.aspx

Some photos of his visit  http://tibet.net/2012/07/13/in-photos-his-holiness-the-dalai-lama-in-srinagar/