NEW DELHI: In Dharamshala, where he has lived in exile since 1959, Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, celebrated his 90th birthday on Sunday with a lavish party. Monks, nuns, and devotees from all over the world flocked to the Tsuglagkhang temple complex to honor the Tibetan spiritual leader in spite of the intense downpour.
Traditional music, passionate tributes, and monks in red robes filled the courtyard. The Dalai Lama arrived in a traditional maroon and yellow robe, while Tibetan artists played drums and bagpipes and senior lamas pounded cymbals.
“I live my life in the service of other sentient beings,” he told the audience, reflecting on his journey. “When I look back on my life, I see that I have not wasted it at all.”
The Indian government was represented by Union Ministers Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh and Kiren Rijiju. Hollywood star Richard Gere, a fervent advocate for Tibet and one of the international visitors, referred to the Dalai Lama as “the most extraordinary man to ever walk on this planet.”
Leaders from around the world also sent messages. He is a representation of “love, compassion, patience, and moral discipline,” according to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Former US presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton also paid personal homage to the Dalai Lama, who continues to promote compassion and togetherness, according to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
beyond a week of events, including the Dalai Lama’s declaration that the spiritual lineage would continue beyond his death, putting an end to years of ambiguity, there were celebrations in Dharamshala.
In Himachal Pradesh, the tributes went on. Under the direction of Nawang Tashi Rapten, a young monk acknowledged as Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche’s reincarnation, monks at the Dorjidak Monastery in Shimla performed prayers for eternal life. He cut a ceremonial cake as well.
The Dalai Lama is not only the spiritual leader but also “the guide for the entire Tibetan culture of peace and compassion,” according to Tibetan monk Kunga Lama, who described the birthday as “a celebration of identity and unity.”
With prayers, chanting, and traditional dances, celebrations were also held in Nepal and Tibetan communities worldwide.
The Dalai Lama, who was born Lhamo Dhondup in 1935 in northeastern Tibet, was acknowledged at the age of two as the 13th Dalai Lama’s reincarnation. By 1950, he had gained complete spiritual and political power, but in 1959, a Chinese crackdown forced him to flee to India. Since then, he has emerged as a leading voice for human rights, interfaith harmony, and nonviolence worldwide.
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