Thousands turn out to mark the Dalai Lama's 90 birthday

Thousands of Tibetan Buddhists streamed into India's Himalayan municipality of Dharamshala connected Sunday to observe the 90th day of the Dalai Lama.

Ferocious monsoon rains did not dampen the spirits arsenic the Tibetan spiritual person appeared successful accepted robes and a flowing yellowish wrap, smiling and walking with the assistance of 2 monks.

The hilltop temples echoed with chants, portion creation troupes performed with clanging cymbals and bagpipes.

Indian ministers, long-time followers including Hollywood histrion Richard Gere and thousands of devotees gathered to honour the exiled leader, revered arsenic an advocator for peace.

Gere took to the podium astatine the celebrations with a grin connected his look to state what a "joyous, joyous day" it was "to observe this bonzer life." He past embraced the Dalai Lama, who helium said "totally embodies selflessness", and kissed his hand.

Sunday's festivities people the culmination of a week of long-life prayers that began connected Monday, aligned with his day connected the Tibetan lunar calendar.

At a ceremonial connected Saturday, the Dalai Lama assured followers of his "great carnal condition" and said helium would unrecorded for different 40 years - to 130 - 2 decades beyond his erstwhile prediction.

Though helium said helium typically avoided day celebrations, the Dalai Lama thanked followers for utilizing the juncture to bespeak connected bid of caput and compassion. He referred to himself arsenic a "simple Buddhist monk" and said helium had nary regrets arsenic helium looked backmost connected his beingness astatine 90.

"While it is important to enactment for worldly development, it is captious to absorption connected achieving bid of caput done cultivating a bully bosom and by being compassionate, not conscionable toward adjacent and beloved ones, but toward everyone," helium said successful his day message.

This week, the Dalai Lama confirmed plans for a successor, putting to remainder long-standing speculation implicit whether the 600-year-old instauration would extremity with him.

According to Tibetan Buddhist tradition, the Dalai Lama is reincarnated aft decease - a process profoundly rooted successful spiritual customs, not governmental authority.

Living successful exile since fleeing Chinese regularisation successful 1959, the Dalai Lama has antecedently said his reincarnation volition instrumentality spot successful the "free world", meaning extracurricular of China.

But Beijing, which considers him a separatist, swiftly rejected his authorization to find a successor.

Chinese officials importune that immoderate succession indispensable travel Chinese laws, spiritual rituals and humanities conventions - and yet beryllium approved by the authorities successful Beijing.

The announcement has reignited fears among Tibetans successful exile that China volition effort to sanction a successor to tighten power implicit Tibet, the portion it occupied successful 1950 and has ruled ever since.

The Dalai Lama has agelong guided the Tibetan diaspora successful their conflict for autonomy and absorption to Chinese domination.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended day wishes connected Sunday, calling him an "enduring awesome of love, compassion, patience and motivation discipline".

Former US President Barack Obama besides sent greetings, calling him "the youngest 90-year-old I know" and thanking him for his friendship.