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A Refuge in Vidarbha: Five Decades of the Norgyeling Tibetan Settlement

A Refuge in Vidarbha: Five Decades of the Norgyeling Tibetan Settlement
A Refuge in Vidarbha: Five Decades of the Norgyeling Tibetan Settlement

The Norgyeling Tibetan Settlement stands in Gothangaon, near Bhandara district in Vidarbha, as the only Tibetan refugee community in Maharashtra. Established in March 1972, the settlement has witnessed more than 50 years of struggle, adaptation and persistence.


The community of around 1,200 residents today represents a fraction of the 3,000 people it was initially planned to accommodate.


The murroom pathways, dusty lanes and modest infrastructure reveal decades of governmental neglect even as the refugees maintain their cultural identity and hope for Tibet's freedom.


The settlement's origin traces back to China's 1959 invasion of Tibet and the subsequent exile of thousands of Tibetans. When communist forces under Mao Tse-tung intensified their occupation of Tibet, the 14th Dalai Lama fled to India along with approximately 80,000 followers. Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru granted asylum to the Tibetan spiritual leader and his followers, marking the beginning of one of the world's most enduring refugee situations.


Nehru personally wrote to various state governments requesting land allocation for Tibetan rehabilitation. Several states responded to this appeal, leading to the establishment of multiple settlements across India.


The first Tibetan exile settlement in India was established in 1961 at Bylakuppe in Karnataka, where the state government allocated nearly 3,000 acres of forest land. This pioneering effort set the precedent for other settlements.


By 1972, when Norgyeling was founded, more than a dozen Tibetan communities had taken root across India. The Government of India allocated 405 acres of land in Bhandara district for the Norgyeling settlement.


In March 1972, the first batch of 306 Tibetan refugees arrived at Gothangaon. These initial settlers, many of whom had been living in camps in Himachal Pradesh since fleeing Tibet, faced formidable challenges in their new home.

The timing of their arrival proved particularly harsh. The refugees reached Vidarbha during what locals called 'Dhub-Kala' or 'black sun', the hottest period of the year when temperatures soar beyond what even natives find comfortable.


The Tibetans, accustomed to the cold mountainous climate of the Himalayan plateau, found themselves in one of the hottest regions of India. The heat took a severe toll. During the early months, two to three deaths occurred daily as settlers struggled to acclimatise. Many residents rested throughout the day along the banks of the Itiadoh dam canal that bordered the settlement, seeking relief from the unbearable temperatures.


The land allocated to the settlement was a forested area that required extensive clearing before it could be inhabited or cultivated. The first generation of refugees undertook the arduous task of transforming wilderness into habitable space.


They cleared forests, constructed basic shelters and prepared the land for agriculture. Each family received one acre of land for farming, primarily for rice cultivation. The dire conditions led many to contemplate abandoning the settlement altogether. The situation was so desperate that when the Dalai Lama visited Norgyeling for the first time in 1974, settlers complained about the deaths and harsh conditions.


He acknowledged their suffering but left the decision to them, saying those who wished to stay could remain while others were free to relocate to other camps. Some families chose to leave, but others demonstrated remarkable determination to persevere.


The Dalai Lama's second visit in 1976 brought a moment of validation. He remarked with a smile that people were still alive, which provided much-needed encouragement and boosted morale among the remaining settlers.


This moment marked a psychological turning point for the community, strengthening their resolve to survive despite the hostile climate.


Growth, Culture, and Institutions


The settlement developed its institutional framework over subsequent years. Two monasteries were established to serve the spiritual needs of the community.


Sera Jey Thekchenling Monastery and Ngagyur Nyingma Choepheling Monastery became centres of Buddhist practice and cultural preservation.

These institutions maintained the Tibetan Buddhist traditions that form the core of Tibetan identity.


The Nyingma tradition, also known as Ngagyur or the Old Translation School, represents the oldest school of Tibetan Buddhism, tracing its lineage back to the 8th-century teacher Padmasambhava. The presence of these monasteries ensured that religious education and practices continued uninterrupted in exile.


Education received priority attention from the beginning. Sambhota Tibetan School was established in 1972 shortly after the settlement's founding. The school operated under the Department of Education of the Central Tibetan Administration based in Dharamsala. Initially, the school offered classes up to the eighth standard.


The curriculum balanced modern education with Tibetan language and cultural instruction. Students learned Tibetan as their first language while also studying English and other subjects following the CBSE curriculum. This educational model aimed to preserve Tibetan identity while preparing children for life in modern India.


However, the school has faced declining enrollment for decades. From an initial capacity to serve hundreds of students, it now accommodates only around 48 to 56 children in classes from standard one to standard five. The reduction in both student numbers and grade levels offered reflects the broader demographic challenges facing the settlement.


Many families send their children to other Tibetan institutions in places like Dharamsala, Bylakuppe, Chennai or Mysore for better educational opportunities and higher studies. The remote location of Norgyeling limits prospects for advanced education and employment, pushing younger generations to migrate to urban centres.


The healthcare infrastructure developed gradually. A primary health centre operates within the school campus, staffed by community health workers and occasionally visiting doctors. The facility provides basic medical care for common ailments and refers serious cases to hospitals in nearby cities.


The settlement also houses a Men-Tsee-Khang branch clinic, part of the Tibetan Medical and Astrological Institute network. This traditional Tibetan medicine centre, locally known as the herbal medicine clinic, offers treatments based on the ancient Sowa Rigpa healing system. Men-Tsee-Khang was originally established by the 13th Dalai Lama in 1916 in Lhasa and was re-established in exile in Dharamsala in 1961.


Tuberculosis posed a major health challenge for years. Until the mid-2000s, the settlement experienced a persistent TB problem, with infection rates significantly higher than those of the surrounding Indian population.

Studies of Tibetan refugee communities in India during the 1990s and early 2000s documented extraordinarily high TB incidence rates. The disease was particularly prevalent in crowded living conditions and monasteries. Concentrated efforts by health authorities and improved access to treatment gradually brought the situation under control at Norgyeling.


Economy, Governance, and Daily Life


Economic activities centre on agriculture and seasonal business. Rice farming on the allocated one-acre plots provides subsistence for families but yields insufficient income for prosperity. Earnings from farming barely cover basic needs.


To supplement agricultural income, many Tibetans engage in the traditional sweater and woollen garments business during the winter months.


Each year, families from Norgyeling and other settlements travel to cities across Maharashtra and neighbouring states to set up temporary markets selling winter wear.

These seasonal markets have become a familiar sight in cities like Nagpur, Chandrapur, Bhopal, Raipur and Aurangabad. Families rent accommodation in cities for the entire year to secure their stalls for the next season.


The Norgyeling Tibetan Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society was established to manage collective economic activities and provide financial services to community members.


A handicraft workshop once operated in the settlement, producing traditional Tibetan crafts and textiles. This enterprise provided regular employment and income for several residents. However, the workshop has since closed due to a lack of sustained demand and market access.


A rice mill was planned to process the settlement's agricultural produce, but construction has remained incomplete for years. In 2022, the settlement launched the Tibet Premium Rice brand through a functional rice mill known as Gangjong Nordrey, representing a step toward economic self-sufficiency.


Some Tibetan men from Norgyeling have served in India’s Special Frontier Force, a covert paramilitary unit primarily composed of Tibetan refugees. The SFF was established in November 1962 after the Sino-Indian War and has since participated in major operations. Service in the SFF provides employment and demonstrates the Tibetan community’s contribution to India’s defence efforts, though such opportunities remain limited.


The settlement’s governance structure follows the model of the Central Tibetan Administration. A settlement officer appointed by the Department of Home in Dharamsala serves as the representative.


The settlement is divided into seven villages, each with an elected group leader who acts as an intermediary with authorities, disseminates information and helps resolve disputes. A local Tibetan assembly, cooperative society and women’s association provide an additional organisational framework.


Despite over five decades of existence, basic infrastructure remains inadequate. The approach roads to both the upper and lower settlement camps are unpaved and lack street lights. These uneven lanes become particularly challenging during monsoons.

Much of the development that has occurred was funded by international donors, mainly from Switzerland and Italy, who helped construct water tanks and health facilities that the state government did not provide.


Challenges and Continuity


The Tibetan Rehabilitation Policy of 2014 was introduced by India’s Ministry of Home Affairs to offer welfare provisions and land lease options to Tibetan refugees, but implementation has been slow in Maharashtra.


Without formal land titles and citizenship, most residents remain legally classified as foreigners.

This status limits property ownership, government employment access, and certain mobility rights. While technically eligible under the Citizenship Act, few apply due to bureaucratic hurdles or fear of losing their Tibetan identity.


The population of Norgyeling has dropped from its initial plan of 3,000 to about 1,200 today. Declining birth rates, youth migration to cities, and emigration to Western countries have contributed to the fall. Fewer residents mean fewer students, smaller markets, and less cultural activity.


Yet, the settlement continues to commemorate Tibetan National Uprising Day every March and the Dalai Lama’s birthday each July.

Visits from officials and symbolic gestures such as tenancy certificates offer moral support but not structural change.


Local protests for Tibetan causes, like the hunger strike for the 11th Panchen Lama’s release, show the community’s continued political consciousness. Cultural and religious traditions remain deeply rooted through monasteries, schools, and local performing arts groups, which help younger generations maintain ties to their heritage.


Life in Norgyeling mirrors the Tibetan diaspora’s larger story. Refugees who fled Tibet in 1959 built new lives in distant regions but remain tethered to a homeland they cannot return to.


The people of Gothangaon have survived the climate, adapted to an unfamiliar environment, and redefined what home means while balancing faith, identity, and day-to-day survival. The settlement endures as both a tribute to India’s generosity and a testament to the price of exile.


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