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Tibet Net[Monday, June 09, 2008] Dharamshala:
The Tibetan Institute of Performing of Arts (TIPA) on Saturday presented a grand musical tribute to all those gallant Tibetans, who sacrificed their lives during the recent unprecedented upsurge of protests against the nearly five decades of repressive Chinese rule in Tibet.
A one minute silence was observed in their memory, after the lighting of butter lamp by the chief guest, Karma Chophel, speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile.
Saturday's event - TIPA's summer musical celebration (Yar kyi) - marked the successful completion of 49 years of the institute's crucial role in reviving, preserving and promoting the ancient heritage of Tibet's traditional performing arts. 
The attraction of this year's musical gala is competition between artists from its two houses, Ngonpa and Gyalu, which focused on traditional folk songs and dances of Tibet.
The artists presented pure traditional numbers, enthralling an exclusive audience of a wide array of Tibetan dignitaries, including chief guest Speaker Karma Chophel, members of Kashag (cabinet), standing committee members of the Tibetan Parliament. Finally, it was Gyalu, who ran away with the winning trophy.
While encouraging the artists, Speaker Karma Chophel said: "Rather than winning or losing, what is more important is the efforts they put in the competition," which, he added, "ultimately contribute to the promotion and preservation of Tibetan cultural identity."
The speaker said special care has to be taken to ensure sustenance of the traditional Tibetan performing arts in its originality, rather than diluting it by other forms of music. He also urged all the concerned staff of the institute to put more efforts in the preservation and promotion of Tibet's cultural heritage.
"Through music, we are expressing our message of profound grief and hope to uplift the spirit of our brethrens in their struggle for the just cause of Tibet," Wangchuk Phasur, director of TIPA said, while announcing that this year's three-day celebration has been cut short to one-day as an expression of condolence to Tibetan martyrs.
Mr Phasur said: "One of the prime objectives of the institute [TIPA] is to revive traditional songs and dances from Do-Toe, Do-Mey and U Tsang - the three traditional provinces of Tibet." 
"In the past many years, efforts have been made in promoting Tibet's ancient heritage through performing cultural shows in places across the length and breadth of India and in various cities all over the world," he added.
He further said: "The institute was particularly successful in its numerous initiatives to revive and promote the traditional folk opera of Tibet, as per the expressed wish of His Holiness the Dalai Lama."
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