Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) : The Tibetan Buddhist monks-in-exile celebrated the 89th birthday of the 14th Dalai Lama in Shimla on Saturday.The monks gathered to offer early morning prayers for the Dalai Lama's long life at the Dorje Drak Monastery in Shimla.
The boy monk Nawang Tashi Rapten, the Taklung Tsetul Rinpoche, and the head of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism also participated in the prayers.
Acharya Lodoe Zangpo, a Tibetan Buddhist monk, said, that they celebrated the 89th birthday of Dalai Lama and offered prayers for his long life. He stated that Buddhists consider the Dalai Lama a "peacemaker" and "very important" in this degenerating time.
Zangpo said, "Today we are celebrating the 89th birthday of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. Early in the morning, we offered long-life prayers and long-life Mandalas in front of His throne. We have done cake-cutting celebrations and now we have done all the prayers for his long life in continuity of Buddha Dharma in this world."
Asked on how the Dalai Lama is important for peace, he responded, "This is very important for all of us because of this degenerating time. There are so many changes and negative things and wars happening in this world. We see him as a peace maker and revealer of peace and he is teaching a message of peace to us and everywhere in the world. So, we see him as very important in this degenerating time."
The 14th Dalai Lama was born to a small farming family of Tibet's Takster on July 6, 1935. He was named Lhamo Thondup, which literally means 'Wish-Fulfilling Goddess', according to Dalai Lama's website.
At the age of two, the boy Lhamo Dhondup was recognized as the reincarnation of the 13th Dalai Lama. In October 1939, he was brought to Lhasa and was formally installed as the head of the state of Tibet on February 22, 1940.
At the age of six, Lhamo Dhondup was named Tenzin Gyatso. On November 17, 1950, the Dalai Lama was officially enthroned as the temporal leader of Tibet in a ceremony held at the Norbulingka Palace.
In March 1959, after the suppression of the Tibetan National Uprising, the Dalai Lama was forced to escape into exile in India with over 80,000 refugees. For over the past 60 years, the Dalai Lama has been working for the promotion of peace, love, and compassion.