Aritra Banerjee
In March 1959, the city of Lhasa, the spiritual and political heart of Tibet, fell to the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), marking a pivotal moment in the Tibetan struggle against Chinese domination. This event, known as the 1959 Tibetan Uprising or Lhasa Uprising, was the culmination of years of growing tension following China’s annexation of Tibet in 1950-51. The capture of Lhasa not only crushed a desperate rebellion but also set the stage for decades of repression, demographic shifts, and cultural erasure that continue to shape Tibet today.
The uprising began on March 10, 1959, sparked by fears that the Chinese authorities planned to abduct the 14th Dalai Lama, Tibet’s spiritual leader. Thousands of Tibetans gathered around the Norbulingka Palace to protect him, defying the PLA’s presence. Initially peaceful, the protests escalated as demonstrators armed themselves and clashed with Chinese forces. By March 17, with artillery aimed at the palace, the Dalai Lama fled to India, disguised as a soldier, embarking on a perilous two-week journey across the Himalayas. Two days later, on March 19, the PLA launched a full assault on Lhasa.
The fighting was brutal and one-sided. Though poorly equipped with outdated weapons, Tibetan rebels faced a modern, well-armed PLA force. On March 21, the Chinese shelled the Norbulingka, unleashing 800 artillery rounds that reduced parts of the palace to rubble. Estimates of casualties vary widely due to restricted access to data and China’s control over information. The Tibetan Government-in-Exile claims that 87,000 Tibetans perished during the uprising and its immediate aftermath, though this figure includes deaths from subsequent repression and guerrilla warfare.
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