Dalai Lama marks his ninetieth birthday as crowds throng his home-in-exile

Dharamshala / Hong Kong
CNN
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Hundreds of individuals gathered in India’s Dharamshala on Sunday to have a good time the ninetieth birthday of the Dalai Lama – a key milestone within the lifetime of the religious chief and Nobel Peace laureate identified for his message of compassion and his quest for better freedoms for Tibet below Beijing’s rule.

Undeterred by heavy monsoon rain and thick fog, crowds dressed of their finery packed the slim streets from early morning and queued in droves hoping to catch a glimpse of the Dalai Lama on the Tsuklakhang Tibetan Buddhist advanced.

Lots of of hopeful attendees have been left ready to see if they might be allowed into the temple, which reached full capability earlier than the festivities started and was closely manned by Indian police and safety personnel.

Masked dancers in conventional outfits twirled to the sounds of gongs, pipes and horns because the Dalai Lama was led into the advanced by two attendants.

Indian authorities ministers spoke on the occasion, in addition to Hollywood actor Richard Gere, a longtime supporter of the Dalai Lama.

Singing performances stuffed the courtyard because the Dalai Lama was served a slice of his birthday cake, topped with recent fruit and a white lily.

The gathering marked the fruits of a days-long celebration that introduced supporters and religious heads to the small metropolis in India’s Himalayan foothills, which has served because the seat of the Tibetan government-in-exile and residential of the Dalai Lama since he fled Tibet throughout a failed 1959 rebellion in opposition to Chinese language communist rule.

Many had traveled far to affix the celebration, similar to Namgyal Dorjee Gongpa, from New Jersey in the US.

The 49-year-old, on the celebration together with his spouse and three sons, instructed CNN: “It is a very momentous event for myself and my household.”

“Yearly, we take journeys to India, which is the epicenter of the exile Tibetan setup in order that my youngsters who’re born out of the country… get again to their roots and study and stay their tradition. So it is a nice event as a result of we will all participate within the celebration of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s ninetieth birthday.”

In a birthday message on X, the Dalai Lama emphasised the significance of “reaching peace of thoughts via cultivating a superb coronary heart and by being compassionate.” Woven into his reflections was a pledge to proceed selling human values, non secular concord, historic Indian knowledge and Tibetan tradition, which “has a lot potential to contribute to the world.”

At a ceremony on Saturday, as attendees prayed for his lengthy life, he assured them of his “nice bodily situation” and raised his longevity aim to 130, 20 years past his earlier prediction.

As he was led out the temple, video confirmed the Dalai Lama gently swaying to extra stay music, earlier than persevering with exterior and leaving on his golf cart.

This yr’s festivities carry heightened significance as a stage for the charismatic chief to handle the looming query of what occurs after his dying.

In a video message to spiritual elders on Wednesday, the Dalai Lama introduced that he may have a successor after his dying, and affirmed that his workplace has the “sole authority” to acknowledge his future reincarnation.

“Nobody else has any such authority to intervene on this matter,” the Dalai Lama mentioned in his recorded message.

The assertion units the stage for a battle over his succession between Tibetan Buddhist leaders in exile and China’s atheist Communist Celebration, which insists it alone holds the authority to approve the subsequent dalai lama.

The Dalai Lama’s announcement was welcomed by many Tibetan Buddhists, who had been ready for his determination on whether or not the centuries-old establishment would finish together with his dying – a query he had earlier mentioned he would re-evaluate round his ninetieth birthday.

Talking from the crowds, Tenzin Nyidon, 26, initially from Odisha, japanese India, instructed CNN she holds his reincarnation “with deep respect” and raised issues over China’s “makes an attempt to politicize” this course of.

“I really feel that he has thoughtfully thought-about the long run and made it clear that the choice shall be guided by the Tibetan individuals and Buddhist traditions and never by any exterior political interference,” she added.

“On the similar time, like many Tibetans, I do have issues about China’s makes an attempt to politicize the reincarnation course of by doubtlessly appointing its personal dalai lama… Their appointment of a dalai lama wouldn’t solely be a distortion of our religion but additionally a technique to undermine Tibetan identification.”

Tibetan Buddhists consider within the circle of rebirth, and that when an enlightened religious grasp just like the Dalai Lama dies, he’ll be capable of select the place and time of his rebirth via the power of compassion and prayer.

However the non secular custom has more and more turn into a battleground for the management of Tibetan hearts and minds, and consultants anticipate that Beijing will search to ascertain its personal dalai lama after the present one – a part of the Comunist Celebration’s marketing campaign to “sinicize” faith to make sure it aligns with Communist Celebration management and preserve its tightening grip over Tibet.

The Dalai Lama has beforehand acknowledged that his successor shall be born within the “free world” exterior China, urging his followers to reject any candidate chosen by Beijing.

Requested concerning the Dalai Lama’s newest assertion on his reincarnation, a spokesperson for the Chinese language International Ministry on Wednesday reiterated Beijing’s long-held stance that the religious chief’s reincarnation should adjust to Chinese language legal guidelines and laws, with search and identification carried out in China and accepted by the central authorities.

Beijing has lengthy sought to discredit the Dalai Lama and claims he’s a harmful “separatist.”

For the reason that Seventies, nevertheless, the Dalai Lama has maintained that he now not seeks full independence for Tibet, however “significant” autonomy that might enable Tibetans to protect their distinct tradition, faith and identification. His dedication to the nonviolent “center approach” strategy has earned him worldwide help and the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989.

As China’s political and financial clout has grown, nevertheless, the Dalai Lama’s international affect seems to be waning, particularly as outdated age makes it troublesome to maintain his in depth globe-trotting. The religious chief has not met a sitting US president since Barack Obama in 2016, after quite a few visits to the White Home since 1991.

On his birthday, nevertheless, heartfelt messages poured in from world leaders, politicians, lawmakers and artists in a video performed on the occasion and compiled by Tibet TV, run by the Tibetan government-in-exile.

Obama wished a “very pleased birthday to the youngest 90-year-old I do know,” and thanked the Dalai Lama for his friendship.

“You’ve proven generations what it means to follow compassion and converse up for freedom and dignity. Not dangerous for somebody who describes himself as a easy Buddhist monk,” he added.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned in a press release on X which was learn on the occasion: “I be part of 1.4 billion Indians in extending our warmest needs to His Holiness the Dalai Lama on his ninetieth birthday.

“He has been a permanent image of affection, compassion, persistence and ethical self-discipline. His message has impressed respect and admiration throughout all faiths. We pray for his continued good well being and lengthy life.”

In an official assertion, additionally learn on the occasion, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed help for efforts to protect Tibetans’ heritage, “together with their capacity to freely select and venerate non secular leaders with out interference.”