Sakya Near Miss?

It would be interesting to know what really happened.

Ordinarily, I do not run a story until I am finished fact-checking, but this one is a classic of its type. I am running with it because it illustrates, and underscores, everything that is wrong with Tibetan reporting these days.

So, then...

I am looking at a near-miss story involving the Sakyas. Several thousand pilgrims collected in Lhagang (confirmed) expecting Ratna Vajra Rinpoche and Gyana Vajra Rinpoche (rumor), causing the Chinese to hold the two rinpoches back at Chengdu, effectively canceling the event (rumor).  The  Lhagang crowd, which included many firebrands from Litang (confirmed), and estimated at around 4,000 (reliable observer), was upset after waiting up all night, katas in hand (confirmed) and began blocking roads (confirmed).  The police responded (confirmed), and reportedly told the senior lama at the scene that the monastery in Lhagang would be closed if the crowd did not disperse (rumor). The crowd dispersed (confirmed). Meanwhile, the two rinpoches were allowed to travel to Dege (rumor).

Actually, the story as it is now developing, looks like it may not have anything to do with Sakya at all:

Regardless of what really happened, this story demonstrates how intrigue swirls in Kham these days. This is the kind of thing that could be spun any which way, depending on your politics or fund-raising needs, or just plain old bored mischief-making.