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

[ad_1] Dharamshala / Hong Kong CNN —

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 higher 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.

Tons of of hopeful attendees had 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 had been set to attend the chopping of the celebratory cake, in addition to Hollywood actor Richard Gere, a longtime supporter of the Dalai Lama.

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 towards Chinese language communist rule.

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

The 49-year-old, on the celebration along with his spouse and three sons, informed 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 abroad… get again to their roots and be taught and reside their tradition. So this can be a nice event as a result of we are able to 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 by means of cultivating 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 purpose to 130, twenty years past his earlier prediction.

Whereas crowds gathered to have a good time his life, this 12 months’s festivities carry heightened significance as a stage for the charismatic chief to handle the looming query of what occurs after his loss of life.

In a video message to non secular elders on Wednesday, the Dalai Lama introduced that he can have a successor after his loss of life, and affirmed that his workplace has the “sole authority” to acknowledge his future reincarnation.

“Nobody else has any such authority to intrude on this matter,” the Dalai Lama stated 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 Get together, 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 choice on whether or not the centuries-old establishment would finish along with his loss of life – a query he had earlier stated he would re-evaluate round his ninetieth birthday.

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

“I really feel that he has thoughtfully thought of the longer term 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 identical time, like many Tibetans, I do have considerations 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 id.”

Tibetan Buddhists consider within the circle of rebirth, and that when an enlightened religious grasp just like the Dalai Lama dies, he'll have the ability to select the place and time of his rebirth by means of the pressure of compassion and prayer.

However the non secular custom has more and more change into a battleground for the management of Tibetan hearts and minds, and specialists anticipate that Beijing will search to determine its personal dalai lama after the present one – a part of the celebration’s marketing campaign to “sinicize” religion to make sure it aligns with Communist Get together management and keep its tightening grip over Tibet.

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

Requested in regards to 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 rules, with search and identification performed in China and accredited by the central authorities.

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

Because the Nineteen Seventies, nonetheless, the Dalai Lama has maintained that he not seeks full independence for Tibet, however “significant” autonomy that may permit Tibetans to protect their distinct tradition, faith and id. His dedication to the nonviolent “center method” strategy has earned him worldwide assist and the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989.

As China’s political and financial clout has grown, nonetheless, the Dalai Lama’s world affect seems to be waning, particularly as previous age makes it tough to maintain his intensive 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, nonetheless, heartfelt messages poured in from world leaders, politicians, lawmakers and artists in a video 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 observe compassion and converse up for freedom and dignity. Not unhealthy for somebody who describes himself as a easy Buddhist monk,” he added.

Former US President Invoice Clinton described the Dalai Lama as “one of many world’s best voices for peace, for dialogue, for understanding” whose teachings have “impressed thousands and thousands to observe in your footsteps.”

He added: “In a time once we see the forces of division tearing on the cloth of our widespread humanity, we want your knowledge greater than ever to remind us that what we share is extra essential than our fascinating variations.”

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated in a press release on X: “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 an everlasting 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.”

However in Dharamshala, the Dalai Lama’s life and legacy had been middle stage on Sunday, a day Nyidon stated “holds deep religious and emotional which means for our neighborhood, symbolizing resilience and hope.”