Dalai Lama in India - 1959 | Movietone Moment | 31 March 2023

On this day in 1959, Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibet, crossed the border into India. Here is a British Movietone report showing the preparations for his arrival. These pictures show a place on India’s North East frontier where a special market day was held to celebrate the expected arrival of the Dalai Lama. It was attended by tribal people and others who’d come from Sikkim and Bhutan to add their welcome. The road, on which the “Living Buddha“ was to end his amazing journey, led through the thick jungle. Smiling and perfectly composed, the Dalai Lama showed no signs of his ordeal, though he had just completed perhaps the most exhausting journey in the world. Meanwhile, accommodation of the meanest kind had been providing temporary lodging for the former Tibetan Prime Minister, Mr. Lukhangwa, waiting at Tezpur to receive his spiritual leader. The Dalai Lama’s statement made here stressed that he’d left Tibet voluntarily, not under duress. Frontier scene (key). Scene at Indian North East Frontier. MS elephant carrying good. SGV market scene. MS locals seated. Another same. MS locals in market. MS local boy weaving. GV frontier road. Tracking shot same. FS jeeps arrive. LS Indian envoy presents white scarf to Dalai Lama. MS Dalai Lama and party proceed. FS same. CU Dalai Lama. Slip pan MS Mr Lukhangwa’s lodgings. GS same. CU Mr Lukhangwa. Longer shot same. Slip pan GV platform and crowds. TS crowds. LS Dalai Lama and party step onto platform. TS crowds. CU Dalai Lama. see story number 76926/2 for cuts Disclaimer: British Movietone is an historical collection. Any views and expressions within either the video or metadata of the collection are reproduced for historical accuracy and do not represent the opinions or editorial policies of the Associated Press. You can license this footage for commercial use through AP Archive - the story number is BM76926. Find out more about AP Archive: Twitter: Facebook: Tumblr: ​​ Instagram: