Will Tibetan non secular chief reveal succession plan as he turns 90?

[ad_1] Geeta Pandey BBC Information, Delhi

Samira Hussain BBC Information, Dharamshala

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/f482/live/fc380e10-56a5-11f0-9074-8989d8c97d87.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/f482/live/fc380e10-56a5-11f0-9074-8989d8c97d87.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/f482/live/fc380e10-56a5-11f0-9074-8989d8c97d87.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/f482/live/fc380e10-56a5-11f0-9074-8989d8c97d87.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/f482/live/fc380e10-56a5-11f0-9074-8989d8c97d87.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/f482/live/fc380e10-56a5-11f0-9074-8989d8c97d87.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/f482/live/fc380e10-56a5-11f0-9074-8989d8c97d87.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/f482/live/fc380e10-56a5-11f0-9074-8989d8c97d87.jpg.webp" loading="eager" alt="AFP Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama (C) attends a Long Life Prayer offering ceremony at the Main Tibetan Temple in McLeod Ganj, near Dharamsala on June 30, 2025. " class="sc-d1200759-0 dvfjxj"/> AFP The Nobel Peace Prize-winning non secular head of Tibetan Buddhism reaches a milestone this week

A whole lot of followers of the Dalai Lama have gathered in northern India for the exiled Tibetan non secular chief's ninetieth birthday, amid rising anticipation that he may give a clue about his eventual successor.

The Dalai Lama is because of launch a video message and an announcement on Wednesday, his workplace has instructed the BBC, though there is no readability on what he'll say.

The Dalai Lama fled throughout the border to India in 1959 after a failed rebellion towards Chinese language rule in Tibet.

He arrange a government-in-exile within the northern Indian hill city of Dharamsala and has been seen as a substitute supply of energy for individuals who resent Beijing's tight management of Tibet.

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/b023/live/60f34b80-5638-11f0-b759-d9eb2c7e1e44.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/b023/live/60f34b80-5638-11f0-b759-d9eb2c7e1e44.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/b023/live/60f34b80-5638-11f0-b759-d9eb2c7e1e44.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/b023/live/60f34b80-5638-11f0-b759-d9eb2c7e1e44.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/b023/live/60f34b80-5638-11f0-b759-d9eb2c7e1e44.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/b023/live/60f34b80-5638-11f0-b759-d9eb2c7e1e44.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/b023/live/60f34b80-5638-11f0-b759-d9eb2c7e1e44.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/b023/live/60f34b80-5638-11f0-b759-d9eb2c7e1e44.jpg.webp" loading="lazy" alt="Getty Images Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama (L) speaks with US actor Richard Gere (R) during a Long Life Prayer offering ceremony at the Main Tibetan Temple in McLeod Ganj, near Dharamsala on June 30, 2025. Exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, gave on June 30, the strongest indication yet that the 600-year-old institution would continue after his death, at prayer celebrations for his 90th birthday. The leader, who turns 90 on July 6, is according to Tibetans the 14th reincarnation of the Dalai Lama. (Photo by Sanjay BAID / AFP) (Photo by SANJAY BAID/AFP via Getty Images)" class="sc-d1200759-0 dvfjxj"/> Getty Photographs Hollywood actor Richard Gere (proper) is a long-time follower of the Dalai Lama

The milestone birthday on Sunday will likely be preceded by the three-day fifteenth Tibetan Non secular Convention, beginning on Wednesday morning. Celebrations started on Monday - the Dalai Lama's birthday in keeping with the Tibetan lunar calendar.

Celebrations will likely be attended by greater than 7,000 visitors, together with quite a lot of Indian ministers. On Monday, pictures confirmed the Dalai Lama blessing Hollywood actor Richard Gere, a long-time follower.

The Dalai Lama, who had earlier stated he would launch particulars about his succession round his ninetieth birthday, instructed a gathering on Monday that "there will likely be some sort of a framework inside which we are able to speak concerning the continuation of the establishment of the Dalai Lamas". He didn't elaborate.

Prior to now, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning non secular head of Tibetan Buddhism has been torn between whether or not to proceed with the 600-year-old establishment or not. Just a few years in the past, he stated his successor is likely to be a woman, or that there is likely to be no successor in any respect.

However in recent times, he has additionally stated that if there's widespread help amongst Tibetans-in-exile for the submit - which there's - then it will proceed and his workplace would select a successor.

He has all the time insisted that his successor can be born exterior China, one thing that has angered Beijing.

Regardless that the Dalai Lama has all the time advocated a "center means" to resolve the standing of Tibet - real self-rule inside China - Beijing regards him as a separatist. It says the usual of residing of individuals in Tibet has tremendously improved beneath its rule.

Youdon Aukatsang, an MP within the Tibetan parliament-in-exile, stated he didn't anticipate "a clear-cut process can be laid down" this week.

"I feel everyone seems to be sort of anticipating some sort of revelation from His Holiness about his reincarnation. However I don't anticipate a really particular sort of revelation," he instructed the BBC.

The current Dalai Lama, he stated, "is a binding and unifying power for the Tibetan motion" and a few Tibetans really feel someone must be recognised quickly as his successor as a result of they fear that there could also be an affect on the neighborhood and the motion going ahead.

"The Dalai Lama establishment is essential for the Tibetan wrestle. It is also an emblem of Tibetan identification and a beacon of our non secular refuge. That can proceed. I feel there will likely be a vacuum, however we've to proceed, we do not have a alternative," he stated.

"We've got very, very large sneakers to fill however we've to fill them, proper? I feel many individuals should get into that function, one particular person is not going to be sufficient."

Specialists, nonetheless, say if he does announce a successor, then China can also be anticipated to call its personal Dalai Lama.

"China will argue that solely the Communist Celebration of China primarily based in Beijing has the authority to search out the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama," Dibyesh Anand, professor of Worldwide Relations on the College of Westminster, instructed the BBC.

"After a interval of some months or a couple of years, they'll have their very own proteges establish a small boy as the following Dalai Lama and impose that. After all, a majority of Tibetans are going to reject it and the vast majority of individuals on the earth are going to make enjoyable of it. However keep in mind China has immense authority when it comes to assets so they'll attempt to impose that."

Mr Aukatsang says that "regardless of all these years of making an attempt to regulate the hearts and minds of Tibetan individuals inside Tibet", Beijing has "fully failed".

A Dalai Lama chosen by China, he says, "is not going to be recognised, not solely by the Tibetans however the world is not going to recognise it as a result of China does not have the legitimacy to search out the long run Dalai Lama".

"We're involved however we all know that no matter our concern, China will provide you with their very own Dalai Lama, we'll name it the Chinese language-recognised Dalai Lama. I'm not apprehensive that Dalai Lama may have any credibility within the Tibetan world or the Buddhist world."

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/a67e/live/12e50950-5639-11f0-b759-d9eb2c7e1e44.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/a67e/live/12e50950-5639-11f0-b759-d9eb2c7e1e44.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/a67e/live/12e50950-5639-11f0-b759-d9eb2c7e1e44.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/a67e/live/12e50950-5639-11f0-b759-d9eb2c7e1e44.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/a67e/live/12e50950-5639-11f0-b759-d9eb2c7e1e44.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/a67e/live/12e50950-5639-11f0-b759-d9eb2c7e1e44.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/a67e/live/12e50950-5639-11f0-b759-d9eb2c7e1e44.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/a67e/live/12e50950-5639-11f0-b759-d9eb2c7e1e44.jpg.webp" loading="lazy" alt="Getty Images A Buddhist devotee holds a golden Buddha figurine as she waits for the arrival of Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, before the start of a Long Life Prayer offering ceremony at the Main Tibetan Temple in McLeod Ganj, near Dharamsala on June 30, 2025. (Photo by Sanjay BAID / AFP) (Photo by SANJAY BAID/AFP via Getty Images) " class="sc-d1200759-0 dvfjxj"/> Getty Photographs Sunday's birthday celebrations will likely be attended by greater than 7,000 individuals

Tibetan Buddhists consider that their senior monks are reincarnated and a Dalai Lama is chosen by Buddhist officers if they're satisfied that the one they're selecting harbours the soul of his predecessor.

The current - 14th - Dalai Lama was born on 6 July 1935 in a small Tibetan village in a farmer household and was named Lhamo Dhondub. When he was two years previous, a search social gathering of Buddhist officers recognised him because the reincarnation of the 13 earlier Dalai Lamas.

In line with his official biography, the clinching proof got here when the officers confirmed him quite a lot of possessions that had belonged to his predecessor. The toddler accurately recognized gadgets belonging to the thirteenth Dalai Lama saying, "It is mine. It is mine".

Enthroned earlier than he turned 4, he was educated at a Tibetan monastery and has a doctorate of Buddhist philosophy.

However in 1950, when he was 15, the troops of Mao Zedong's newly-installed Communist authorities marched into Tibet. A 12 months later, China drew up a 17-point settlement legitimising Tibet's incorporation into China.

A Tibetan revolt in 1959, in search of an finish to Chinese language rule, was crushed and hundreds of protesters have been killed.

The Dalai Lama fled to India on foot together with 10,000 followers and settled in Dharamsala, operating a government-in-exile from there. In 2011, he gave up his political function however stays Tibetan Buddhism's prime non secular chief.

A few of those that fled alongside him nonetheless dream of going dwelling to Tibet.

"My religion is that I'll return to Tibet. If not me, my youthful generations will certainly return," stated Lobsang Choedon, 84, who attended Monday's celebrations.

Choedon's daughter and grandchildren have been all born - and have spent their total lives - in India. Nonetheless, her 15-year-old grandson Ngawang Lhundup feels deeply related to his ancestral homeland.

He is been listening to tales about Tibet since he was a toddler and says he would take into account visiting Tibet although it is beneath Chinese language rule.