Bhakhang Tulku Rinpoche

Bhakhang Tulku Rinpoche was born near Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim, India. At the age of fifteen, after passing an extensive battery of tests, Rinpoche was recognized and confirmed by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama as the 13th incarnation of Venerable Bhakhang Tulku Rinpoche, the founder and throne holder of the Kanta monastery, one of the three biggest monasteries of the Makham region, of Kham province (Eastern Tibet). In 1959 the communist Chinese destroyed Kanta monastery, killing the venerable 12th Bhakhang Rinpoche along with 500 monks. Currently, Rinpoche is living in Charleston, SC and teaching  at Shiwa Center, which he founded and at SOHA center in Atlanta. Rinpoche is the author of a wonderful book of poetry titled Reflection of My Heart.  Previously, he studied at Drepung Loseling Buddhist monastic university in Mundgod, Southern India.