DHARAMSALA - Thousands of Tibetan exiles assembled in this Himachal Pradesh town Monday to celebrate the 74th birthday of their spiritual leader the Dalai Lama.
“Since early this (Monday) morning, thousands of exiles, monks and well-wishers started assembling here to join the birthday celebrations of His Holiness (the Dalai Lama). They were praying for the well-being and long life of the 14th Dalai Lama,” Tenzin Taklha, joint secretary at the Dalai Lama’s office, told IANS.
“Special prayer sessions were held at Tsuglagkhang temple where members of the Kashag (Tibetan parliament) and the government-in-exile also participated. The 17th Karmapa, Ugyen Trinley Dorjee, presided over the function,” he added.
The hilltop Tsuglagkhang temple is close to the official palace of the Dalai Lama at McLeodganj near here.
The prayers have been organised by the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) and the Tibetan community.
Dharamsala is the headquarters of the Tibetan government-in-exile.
“Visiting Australian parliamentarians also participated in various religious and cultural functions,” Taklha added.
A delegation of six Australian parliamentarians comprising Labour MPs Michael Danby and Melissa Parke, Liberal MP Peter Slipper, independent senator Nick Xenophon, and Greens Senators Scott Ludlam and Sarah Hanson-Young are on a week-long visit here.
However, the Tibetan temporal head did not attend the functions here.
“The Dalai Lama was in New Delhi to attend the birthday celebrations organised by the Himalayan Buddhist Cultural Association and the All Buddhist Organisation of Himalayan Region,” Taklha said. Last year, the Nobel laureate’s birthday celebrations were largely subdued due to unrest in Tibet.
Born July 6, 1935 at Taktser hamlet in northeastern Tibet, the Dalai Lama was recognised at the age of two as the reincarnation of the 13th Dalai Lama Thubten Gyatso. He fled Tibet after a failed uprising against Chinese rule in 1959, basing his Tibetan government-in-exile here.
He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 for his non-violent campaign for democracy and freedom in his homeland. Ever since he fled to India, he has spent his time in exile pushing for autonomy for Tibet.
The Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, has been following a “middle-path” policy that seeks “greater autonomy” for Tibetans rather than complete independence. The Dalai Lama has increasingly voiced his frustration with the situation and has said that he has now given up trying to win concessions from Beijing.
“Things are not going well… I have to accept failure… my trust with the Chinese leadership (is) now thinner, thinner, thinner,” the Tibetan leader has said.
Though he looks healthy, the deteriorating health of the elderly monk in recent months is a matter of concern for the community in exile. He was admitted to Ganga Ram Hospital in Delhi in October 2008, where he underwent a gall bladder surgery. Earlier, he was admitted to the Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai twice with abdominal discomfort. Subsequently, he had also cancelled his visits to Europe, Mexico and the Dominican Republic. But he has returned to his gruelling schedule, travelling around the globe to speak on Buddhism and human rights.
After India allowed the Dalai Lama to settle here, Dharamsala became an attraction for westerners in search of Tibetan culture and spiritual sustenance.
A total of 140,000 Tibetans now live in exile, over 100,000 of them in different parts of India. Over six million Tibetans live in Tibet.
Related News
Tibetan exiles hope for Dalai Lama's meeting with ObamaOctober 8th, 2009 DHARAMSALA - The decision of US President Obama to meet Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama after Obama's China visit has raised hopes amongst the Tibetan exiles living in India. Obama will not be meeting the Dalai Lama during his five-day trip to the US capital.
Tibetans pray for Dalai Lama's upcoming Arunachal visitSeptember 22nd, 2009 DHARAMSALA - Tibetans living in exile in Dharamshala on Tuesday prayed for the success of Dalai Lama's impending visit to Arunachal Pradesh. Although the annual ritual of prayers is dedicated for highest Buddhist leader's health and well being, but this year a large number of monks and nuns from various monasteries have assembled at the Theckchen Choelling Tsuglag Khang monastery to wish the Dalai Lama a good luck for his upcoming visit to the north-eastern state.
Devotees converge in Dharamsala to attend sermons by Dalai LamaSeptember 17th, 2009 DHARAMSALA - Thousands of devotees converged here to participate in the three-day discourse by Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama. Around 4,000 devotees, including mostly Buddhist and foreign tourists, attended the meeting.
Dalai Lama to visit Arunachal in NovemberSeptember 10th, 2009 DHARAMSALA - Exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama has planned a visit to Arunachal Pradesh in the second week of November, an aide said Thursday. The Dalai Lama had to cancel his visit to the state last year after the Indian government refused to grant him permission.
Tibetans celebrate Dalai Lama's 74th birthday in DharamsalaJuly 6th, 2009 DHARAMSALA - Tibetans living in exile in Dharamsala celebrated the 74th birthday of Buddhist spiritual leader Dalai Lama today. Born in 1935 in Tibet, Lhamo Thondup was recognized as the reincarnation of 13th Dalai Lama, at the age of 2.
Celebrations planned for Dalai Lama's 74th birthdayJuly 4th, 2009 DHARAMSALA - Thousands of Tibetan exiles are expected to assemble in this Himachal Pradesh town Monday for celebrations to mark the 74th birthday of their spiritual leader the Dalai Lama. "Exiles, monks and well-wishers will join the birthday celebrations of His Holiness (the Dalai Lama) Monday.
Tibetan Buddhists celebrate Karmapas birthdayJune 26th, 2009 DHARAMSALA/GANGTOK - Tibetan exiles in India Friday celebrated the 25th birthday of the 17th Karmapa, Ugyen Trinley Dorjee, the only major monk reincarnate recognised by both the Dalai Lama and China. "We (the Tibetans) celebrated the 25th birthday of Ugyen Trinley Dorje in a peaceful manner.
Fernandes in Dharamsala to meet Dalai LamaJune 22nd, 2009 DHARAMSALA - Former union minister George Fernandes has arrived in this hill town in Himachal Pradesh to meet the spiritual head of the Tibetan community, the Dalai Lama, an official statement said Monday. "Former union minister George Fernandes and former deputy union minister Ajay Singh reached Dharamsala Sunday to meet the Dalai Lama," a statement posted on the website of the government-in-exile said.
Some Chinese listening to Dalai Lama's quest for Tibet autonomyJune 12th, 2009 DHARAMSALA - Some Chinese, it seems, are listening to Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, on the issue of granting Tibet autonomy status. Travelling to The Netherlands last week, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader had a private meeting with Chinese pro-democracy activists.
Dalai Lama rejects Tibetan PM's offer to quitJune 10th, 2009 DHARAMSALA - Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama has rejected the offer of Samdhong Rinpoche, Tibetan prime minister-in-exile to step down from the post. Rinpoche while talking to reporters in Dharamsala, said that a proposal was submitted to advance the prime minister's election that was due in 2011, but it was disapproved.
China, exiled Tibetans brace for dueling Dalai LamasJune 7th, 2009 DHARAMSALA - For centuries, the selection of a new Dalai Lama has been steeped in the mysticism of a bygone world. His closest aides look for divinations in a sacred lake.
Dalai Lama calls for a united struggle for Tibetan causeMarch 12th, 2009 DHARAMSALA - Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama has called for a united struggle against the Chinese occupation of Tibet. "Now, we are in such a state where all the people following Tibetan Buddhist traditions and Tibetans-in-exile should be united.
Tibetan exiles participate in special prayer in DharamsalaMarch 12th, 2009 DHARAMSALA - Hundreds of Tibetans, including monks, nuns and officials of the Tibetan Government-in-exile, on Wednesday attended an annual special prayer ceremony that marked the 16th day of the first month of the Tibetan calendar year here. On the occasion, the Dalai Lama gave his annual spring speech at the main temple here.
Prayers begin for Dalai Lama's long lifeMarch 9th, 2009 DHARAMSALA - Prayers for the long life and good health of the Tibetan spiritual leader the 14th Dalai Lama started Monday, a day before the Tibetan community in exile marks the 50th anniversary of a failed uprising against China. The 'long life' prayers were organised at the Tsuglag Khang (main temple) at Mcleodganj near here, the abode-in-exile of the Dalai Lama.
Chinese leaders feel threatened by Tibetan Buddhism: Dalai LamaMarch 8th, 2009 DHARAMSALA - Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama Sunday accused the Communist leaders in China of being afraid of Tibetan Buddhism and intimidating Tibetans trying to preserve their culture and identity. The Dalai Lama, who generally avoids criticising top Chinese leaders despite being accused of being a 'splittist' by the Chinese, told a meeting of high lamas (monks) of all Tibetan sects at his Mcleodganj headquarters-in-exile that the Chinese leaders were 'feeling threatened by Tibetan Buddhism'.
Loading ...