Dalai Lama Celebrates 90th Birthday with Global Spiritual Events

The 14th Dalai Lama's 90th birthday was marked by vibrant celebrations and spiritual rituals in Dharamshala, attended by dignitaries such as Union Minister Kiren Rijiju and Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu, emphasizing his global reverence as a symbol of compassion and wisdom. Devotees engaged in prayers, butter lamp lighting, and Mandala offerings at the Tsuglagkhang Temple, reinforcing deep-rooted Tibetan Buddhist traditions believed to multiply spiritual merit. The Dalai Lama's teachings, celebrated through his accessible books co-authored with Dr. Howard Cutler and dialogues with figures like Archbishop Desmond Tutu, focus on compassion, happiness, and the human condition, providing guidance for everyday struggles. Concurrently, the 15th Tibetan Religious Leaders Meeting convened at the Dalai Lama's residence, where leaders unanimously supported His Holiness’s recent statements and rejected China's political interference in religious matters such as reincarnation. His Holiness expressed gratitude for the Tibetan community's resilience in exile and emphasized the importance of bodhichitta—the awakening mind of compassion—as the driving force behind his leadership and efforts to preserve Tibetan religion and culture. These events collectively highlight the Dalai Lama's enduring spiritual influence and the ongoing challenges faced by the Tibetan community.