DHARAMSHALA: The spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhists, the Dalai Lama, celebrated his 90th birthday on Sunday after a week of events held by his followers.
During the celebrations, he once again defied China by speaking about his wish to live beyond 130 and promising to return through reincarnation after his death.
The Nobel laureate is regarded as one of the world’s most influential religious leaders, with a following that extends well beyond Buddhism – though not by Beijing, which labels him a separatist and has sought to bring the faith under its control.
Fleeing his native Tibet in 1959 after a failed uprising against Chinese rule, the 14th Dalai Lama, along with hundreds of thousands of Tibetans, took shelter in India. Since then, he has advocated for a peaceful “Middle Way” approach to seek autonomy and religious freedom for the Tibetan people.
Thousands of followers from around the world, along with celebrities and officials from the United States and India, are expected to attend his birthday celebrations in Dharamshala, the small Indian town in the foothills of the Himalayas where the Dalai Lama resides.
The celebrations will feature cultural performances and speeches, including one by long-time follower and Hollywood actor Richard Gere, as well as Indian federal ministers. The Dalai Lama himself is scheduled to address the gathering.
The preceding week of festivities held special significance for Tibetan Buddhists, as the Dalai Lama had previously indicated that he would speak about his succession on his 90th birthday.
On Wednesday, he eased their concerns by declaring that he would reincarnate as the leader of the faith after his death and that the Gaden Phodrang Trust, his non-profit institution, holds the sole authority to recognise his successor.
China, however, has insisted that any succession must be approved by its leadership.
The United States, which is seeking to counter China’s growing influence, has urged Beijing to end what it calls interference in the succession of the Dalai Lama and other Tibetan Buddhist lamas.
