Prayers begin for Dalai Lama’s long life

September 26th, 2009 PATNA - Three Buddhist devotees have travelled hundreds of kilometres on foot from Tibet and reached the Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya to pray for the long life of Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama. Kelsang Dondup, 56, Sangau Dolma, 62, and Chultim Lama, 43, offered prayers to Lord Buddha and sought blessings for the Dalai Lama at the temple after they reached Bodh Gaya in Bihar from a village in Tibet.

September 26th, 2009 PATNA - To pray for long life of Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama, three Buddhist devotees travelled hundreds of kilometres on foot from Tibet and reached Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya "to fulfil their wish". Kelsang Dondup, 56, Sangau Dolma, 62, and Chultim Lama, 43, offered prayers to Lord Buddha and sought blessings for Dalai Lama at the temple after they reached Bodh Gaya from a village in Tibet.

September 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.

September 17th, 2009 GANGTOK - Members of the exiled Tibetan community living at Gangtok said China's opposition to the Dalai Lama's visit to Arunachal Pradesh is "surprising". The Dalai Lama plans to visit Arunachal Pradesh soon.

August 24th, 2009 China renovates former palace home of Dalai LamasBEIJING — China has completed a seven-year renovation of Tibet's Potala Palace — home to the Dalai Lamas until the region's current spiritual leader fled during an aborted uprising against Communist rule 50 years ago. China says the project is part of its plan to promote Tibetan culture and language in the region as it develops its economy, of which tourism forms a major part.

July 6th, 2009 Dalai Lama turns 74, says should live to 100NEW DELHI — The Dalai Lama celebrated his 74th birthday Monday in a typically jocular mood, remarking lightheartedly that the prayers being said for him might help him live to at least 100. The Tibetan spiritual leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate has now spent 50 birthdays in exile in India.

July 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.

June 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.

May 18th, 2009 CANNES - French director Jan Kounen, whose latest film will be screened on the closing night of the 62nd Cannes Film Festival, is headed to India for his next project that may star Amitabh and Abhishek Bachchan in the main leads. Paris-based Manuel de la Roche, the producer of the proposed film, 'The Secret History of the Dalai Lamas', has Amitabh and Abhishek on his wish list and hopes to pull off a casting coup.

May 5th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Sino-French relations may take a dip if the planned visit by the Dalai Lama to Paris next month goes ahead, analysts have said. The Dalai Lama could become an honorary citizen of Paris during his visit, a move, analysts say, could affect relations between China and France.

March 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.

March 12th, 2009 DHARAMSHALA - Hundreds of Tibetans, including monks, nuns and officials of the Tibetan Government-in-exile, gathered at the main Tsuglagkhang Buddhist temple in Dharamshala to offer prayers for the long life of their spiritual leader Dalai Lama on Monday. This congregation of Tibetans assembled just a day prior to the 50th anniversary of Chinese occupation of their homeland.

March 10th, 2009 DHARAMSALA - The Dalai Lama Monday said here he would try to live longer for the Tibetan cause, amid concerns about the health of the 73-year-old Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader. Thanking the Tibetan community at large and hundreds of exiled Tibetans who turned up at the Tsuglag Khang or main temple in Mcleodganj near this Himachal Pradesh town for offering 'long life' prayers for him, the Dalai Lama said he hoped to live longer.

March 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'.

January 19th, 2009 DHARAMSALA - Buddhist spiritual leader the Dalai Lama Tuesday congratulated Barack Obama on his inauguration as the 44th President of the United States, Tibet's government-in-exile here said. 'The religious guru, on a visit to international township of Auroville near Puducherry, expressed his deep congratulations and prayers for Obama for success,' Tenzin Taklha, joint secretary at Dalai Lama's office, told IANS.