High Peaks Pure Earth has translated a song called “The Magnificent Potala” sung by Rigzin Dolma.
The music video has been available online for a few years now and can be viewed both on Chinese video-hosting sites such as Youku as well as on YouTube, where it has been viewed more than 23,000 times since July 2010.
Rigzin Dolma is a popular Tibetan singer from Pari in Amdo, north eastern Tibet. Pari (pronounced Huare, Ch: Tianzhu) is an Autonomous County in modern-day Gansu province and is known for being the home of the white yak. For this reason, Rigzin Dolma’s first album released in January 2009 was titled “The Sacred White Yak”.
In 2012, Rigzin Dolma toured North America for a few months and performed concerts in several cities, raising money for her Tibetan language projects in Pari. Rigzin Dolma personally supports 23 Tibetan language teachers in 11 schools there. There are blogposts written by Rigzin Dolma dating back to 2010 that outline her concerns for Tibetan language in her area.
The song “Magnificent Potala Palace” continues the theme of glorifying Tibet’s past as seen in recently translated videos “Steps of Snow” and “Songtsen Gampo”. There are powerful references to Tibet as a glorious nation of Kings whose legacy is evidenced through the Potala Palace, one of the most distinctive tangible features of Tibet.
The song is made up of three parts or verses as is usual for Tibetan songs and the first verse shows that the Potala manifests the courage and heroism of the Tibetan people. The verse also states that Tibet’s history can not be erased because it is manifested in the Potala itself. The second verse shows that the Potala embodies the past wishes of the Tibetan Kings and scholars as well as the future path of the Tibetan people. The third part also makes subtle references to the Dalai Lama as the Potala was the traditional winter abode of the Dalai Lamas.
This is music video number 46 translated by High Peaks Pure Earth since the Wednesday music video series started towards the end of 2012. Please go back and watch our other videos using this link: http://highpeakspureearth.com/category/music-from-tibet/
Below are the subtitled music video and translated lyrics of “The Magnificent Potala”:
“The Magnificent Potala” By Rigzin Dolma from HPeaks on Vimeo
“The Magnificent Potala”
Lyrics: Dong Yonten Gyatso
Melody & Singer: Rigzin Dolma
The golden roof of the world
The crown ornament of the earth
The magnificent Potala
You are the heroism of a courageous people
You are the unerasable proof of history
Therefore, however the storm and dust may distract
Along with the twinkling golden light of dignity
Please stay brightly! Please stand firmly!
The mirror of the past
The path for the future
The magnificent Potala
You are the past wishes of Dharma Kings and scholars
You are the future aspirations of the ruddy-faced Tibetans
Therefore, however the waves of periodic changes may affect
Along with admiration of the middle path for truth
Please stay brightly! Please stand firmly!
The palace of the earth
The wonderful castle
The magnificent Potala
You are the wisdom of the intellectual ancestors
You are the vital blood of millions of Tibetans
Therefore, however the wheel of change may rise or fall
Along with one’s innate happiness and good wishes for others
Please stay brightly! Please stand firmly!
Please stay brightly! Please stand firmly!
[Translation by High Peaks Pure Earth]
For those unable to view the videos on Vimeo, there is also a High Peaks Pure Earth YouTube channel here with our music videos: http://www.youtube.com/highpeakspureearth
of-course i don’t understand the Tibetan language but i am very interested to listen the songs very much,,,i really like.