NEW DELHI: Thousands of Buddhists gathered in Dharamshala in northern India on Sunday to mark the 90th birthday of Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama.
A Nobel peace laureate and one of the world’s most influential figures, the 14th Dalai Lama has been living in India since 1959, after he fled Tibet with thousands of others following a failed uprising against Chinese rule.
Dharamshala, a town in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, has been his place of residence over the past six decades and also hosts the Tibetan government-in-exile.
Followers, monks, Indian officials and friends — including American actor Richard Gere — surrounded the Dalai Lama at the Tsuklakhang Tibetan Buddhist complex, where, despite monsoon rain, they greeted him with prayer and traditional Tibetan music and dance.
They celebrated his birthday and recent announcement that the 600-year-old institution of the Dalai Lama would continue after his death.
“This institution of the Dalai Lama is our identity, and I am glad it will be there. I came here for the Dalai Lama’s birthday from Delhi; you can understand how important he is for us,” said Loden, a Tibetan garment merchant living in New Delhi.
“This Dalai Lama is very popular and the whole world knows him, respects him, follows him. So yes, there is a bit of concern about the future Dalai Lama, about his acceptability in the world. I am sure this Dalai Lama would have thought about it. He has done great work for us Tibetans.”
When a Dalai Lama dies, Tibetan Buddhists believe he is reincarnated. Senior monks and members of the Tibetan government-in-exile will then search for the child who is the reincarnation, relying on dreams and visions, rituals at sacred lakes, signs at the Dalai Lama’s death, and other omens.
The 14th Dalai Lama was 2 years old when a search party decided he was the 14th reincarnation of Tibet’s spiritual leader.
Over the years, he has indicated that the continuation of the institution was ultimately up to the Tibetan people, and, if they no longer found it relevant, it could cease to exist, and there would be no 15th Dalai Lama.
He confirmed plans for a successor on Thursday.
“I am very happy that the Dalai Lama chose reincarnation. There should not have been any debate around it. It is our faith, and we trust every decision that the Dalai Lama makes. We can sacrifice our lives for him,” said Gatsog, a Tibetan refugee and monk in Dharamsala who attended the birthday celebrations.
The Dalai Lama has long led the Tibetan diaspora — most of whom live in India — in their struggle for autonomy and resistance against Chinese domination in Tibet.
His succession has drawn concerns among Tibetans living abroad that China might try to appoint the next Dalai Lama to tighten its control over Tibet, a region it invaded in 1950 and has governed ever since.
“China has no role in our religion. It is a matter of our faith. It is only about the decision of the Dalai Lama. We support his decision,” said Sonam Dolma, a Tibetan translator who has been living in India since 2007.
“I don’t have any concerns about the future Dalai Lama as he would be chosen by this Dalai Lama. So, it would be good for us. We just hope the world accepts him.”
