The spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhists, the Dalai Lama, celebrates his 90th birthday on Sunday, following a week of festivities. Pilgrims from across the globe have journeyed to Dharamshala, a town nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas, where the Dalai Lama resides, to honor the occasion. Among the attendees is Richard Gere, a long-standing supporter of the Dalai Lama, who is revered worldwide as one of the most influential religious figures and venerated by millions as the earthly embodiment of Chenrezig, the compassionate Buddhist deity.
The celebrations began on Monday, coinciding with the Tibetan calendar marking his 90th birthday, a week prior to his birthday in the Gregorian calendar. The Dalai Lama expressed his hope to live till the age of 130 during his last public appearance. Tenzin Gyatso assumed the mantle of the 14th Dalai Lama in 1940, before fleeing mountainous Tibet in 1959 following a failed uprising against Chinese rule, along with countless Tibetans seeking refuge in India.
The festivities, including a speech to hundreds of monks and nuns who braved the rain, signifies not only the reverence for the Dalai Lama but also underscores his importance in a region fraught with political tension. Despite China considering the Dalai Lama a separatist and striving to control Tibetan Buddhism, he confirmed the tradition of succession after his passing, choosing to have his successor born outside China and identified in adherence to Buddhist customs, a declaration at odds with China, which insists on its approval in this process.
The United States has weighed in, urging Beijing to refrain from influencing the selection of the Dalai Lama and other Tibetan Buddhist leaders as a means to counter China’s growing influence. This stance adds layers of complexity to the celebration, as it intertwines religious tradition with political diplomacy on the world stage.
Source: https://news.sky.com/story/dalai-lama-turns-90-worshippers-including-richard-gere-travel-to-himalayas-to-celebrate-13393016
