Ludhiana family meet Dalai Lama, receive his blessings as Khata

Flowing from Dalai Lama's love of Sikhism, expressed many times during his interactions and interventions about the uniqueness of the Sikh religion, the fourteenth Dalai Lama bestowed the white Tibetan Spiritual Scarf on Harkirat Kaur Kukreja and her family in a special audience granted to them at his residence in Tsuglagkhang, Dharamshala.
Signifying an open heart, the Khata -the white Tibetan Spiritual Scarf -the equivalent of the Sikh Sirpoa was blessed to Harkirat, her husband, Harjinder Singh Kukreja and their three children, Rehras Singh Kukreja, Aad Sach Singh Kukreja and Rut Suhavi Kaur Kukreja.
Said Harkirat, a Ludhiana-based entrepreneur, traveller and parenting influencer, "One of my life-long dreams has been accomplished. I will cherish these moments for the rest of my life." She added, "The whole atmosphere was reverberating with love with compassion. The aura was amazing. My children were overwhelmed with the presence of the Dalai Lama and enjoyed every moment there."
During his last visit to Darbar Sahib -Golden Temple in Amritsar, the Dalai Lama had said, "I wholeheartedly admire Sikhism…the world needs this kind of strength."
Harkirat said, "I think the message of Tibetan Buddhism and Sikhism are the same. All human beings are equal and have to be treated with love and compassion at all times."
Equally awed, her husband, Harjinder said, "His Holiness greeted us, looked into our eyes, touched our turbans and expressed happiness while blessing us. His radiance, his humour and his immensely simplified solutions to life's problems are truly inspiring."
Historically, the Sikh association with Tibet is more than two centuries old when Sikh soldiers went on an expansionist expedition to Tibet and China in the Tibetan region resulting in the Sino-Sikh-Tibetan Treaty with Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1842. In this region, Guru Nanak is referred to as the Nanak Lama.
Harkirat, who is also known as the Sikh Supermom, said, "The Dalai Lama stands out as a tall pillar of peace for humankind today."
Touched with the spiritual charisma of the Dalai Lama, she added, "His parting words -Stay Happy, Stay spiritual and Stay Sikh, will stay with us forever."