SINI On the Move: Manali Summer Program

Observations From Principal Ngawang

“It may seem small, but when mothers bring learning into the home,
the whole environment begins to change.”

Tibetan Reading Class at Manali-SINI, is a  quiet commitment. From what I’ve observed, most of the participants this year are women—many of them mothers. They attend the Tibetan reading class organized by SINI in between their daily housework and family responsibilities. Most are local residents of the area and while many cannot speak Tibetan fluently, they are now able to read Tibetan script with growing confidence. Their deep faith in Buddhism and strong interest in learning Tibetan is what brings them back each day.

The class runs daily from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. We focus on helping them improve their reading skills and also provide brief introductions to basic Buddhist teachings.

This program has been running every summer for the past three years, continuing for four months each year. We sincerely hope it can continue in the years to come. It may seem like a small initiative, but the consistent participation of these mothers is quietly making a meaningful impact—on their families and their wider community.

Reflections from Khenpo Dawa

“When people learn to read and understand Tibetan, it really helps them connect with the Dharma in a more personal and meaningful way.”

Under the guidance of our Director, Tsering Gellek, this community outreach program began three years ago as part of SINI’s summer activities in Patlikuhal, Manali. The aim was to foster engagement with residents in the area. 

The Himalayan region has deep Buddhist roots, and much of its essence is preserved in the Tibetan language. So, when people learn to read and understand Tibetan, it really helps them connect with the Dharma in a more personal and meaningful way.

This year, I had the chance to join the program as a teacher. We have around 20 students engaging in the class every day. While my main focus is on helping students improve their Tibetan reading skills, I also occasionally introduce them to Tibetan calligraphy. Alongside reading practice, I share basic teachings on Buddhism by using selected passages from “The Thirty-Seven Practices of Bodhisattvas (རྒྱལ་སྲས་ལག་ལེན་སོ་བདུན་མ) and The Way of the Bodhisattva (བྱང་ཆུབ་སེམས་དཔའི་སྤྱོད་པ་ལ་འཇུག་པ).” These two texts are key guides on the values and actions of the bodhisattva path.

For me, it’s been a meaningful chance to apply what I learned during the recent teacher training at SINI, which was Organised by SINI and led by His Holiness Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche. The training introduced practical and effective methods, like Bloom’s Taxonomy and Memory-Based learning through body, speech, and mind. Using these tools has helped me better support my students—many of whom are learning to read Tibetan script for the first time.

As the Tibetan saying goes, “Even a great river begins as a small stream.” While this initiative may be modest in scale, the impact it has made on the lives of participants is both tangible and inspiring. It stands as a beautiful testament to the power of education, faith, and cross-cultural connection.