Dalai Lama marks his 90th birthday as crowds throng his home-in-exile

Thousands of individuals congregated in Dharamshala, India, on Sunday to commemorate the 90th birthday of the Dalai Lama – a significant milestone for the spiritual leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner recognized for his message of kindness and his pursuit of increased freedoms for Tibet beneath Beijing’s governance.

Unfazed by intense monsoon downpours and dense fog, throngs clad in their best filled the narrow streets from dawn and stood in long lines, eager to see the Dalai Lama at the Tsuklakhang Tibetan Buddhist complex.

Hundreds of eager attendees waited to find out if they could enter the temple, which was at maximum capacity before the celebrations started and was closely monitored by Indian police and security staff. Masked performers in traditional attire danced to the music of gongs, pipes, and horns as the Dalai Lama was escorted into the compound by two aides.

Ministers from the Indian government attended the event, along with Hollywood actor Richard Gere, who has been a longtime supporter of the Dalai Lama.

Singing activities filled the courtyard while the Dalai Lama received a slice of his birthday cake, adorned with fresh fruit and a white lily. The event marked the conclusion of a multi-day celebration that attracted supporters and spiritual leaders to the quaint city in the Himalayan foothills of India, which has been the base of the Tibetan government-in-exile and the Dalai Lama’s residence since his escape from Tibet after the unsuccessful uprising against Chinese communist control in 1959.

In a birthday message on X, the Dalai Lama emphasized the importance of “achieving peace of mind through cultivating a good heart and by being compassionate.” Woven into his reflections was a pledge to continue promoting human values, religious harmony, ancient Indian wisdom and Tibetan culture, which “has so much potential to contribute to the world.”

At a ceremony on Saturday, as attendees prayed for his long life, he assured them of his “great physical condition” and raised his longevity goal to 130, two decades beyond his previous prediction.

As he was led out the temple, video showed the Dalai Lama gently swaying to more live music, before continuing outside and leaving on his golf cart.

This year’s festivities carry heightened significance as a stage for the charismatic leader to address the looming question of what happens after his death.