The New Indian Express ·
Dalai Lama returns to Dharamshala after extended stay in Ladakh
CHANDIGARH: Tibetan spiritual leader the 14th Dalai Lama, 91, returned to his residence in McLeodganj on Friday morning after spending more than two months in Ladakh. He had travelled to the region after undergoing knee replacement surgery earlier this year.
The Dalai Lama arrived at Kangra Airport in Gaggal, where Tibetan leaders, Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) officials, including Chief Justice Commissioner Yeshi Wangmo, Speaker Dolma Tsering Teykhang and officiating Sikyong Tsegyal Chukya Dranyi, along with members of the Tibetan community, devotees and artists from the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts (TIPA), welcomed him.
Artists performed the auspicious Tashi Sholpa dance at the airport exit to mark his arrival. Large crowds and followers also gathered along the route from Gaggal to McLeodganj. Many carried traditional Tibetan flags, offered prayers and waited to catch a glimpse of the spiritual leader as his convoy passed.
The Dalai Lama had travelled to New Delhi in early June, where he underwent left knee replacement surgery at Apollo Hospital. His right knee had earlier been operated on in New York in 2024. After spending time in the national capital for medical treatment and recovery, he travelled to Ladakh towards the end of June, where he continued his teachings, public audiences and other programmes.
During his stay, his 91st birthday was celebrated at the Kalachakra Teaching Ground in Leh. He also took part in prayer ceremonies at the Buddha statue in Stok and at the Buddha statue and stupa in Gonpa Village, besides visiting the Buddha Garden at the Mahabodhi International Meditation Centre. He attended the final session of the Yarchos Chenmo (Great Summer Debate) at the Matho Teaching Ground and a long-life prayer offering at the Kalachakra Teaching Ground, jointly organised by the Ladakh Buddhist Association, Ladakh Gonpa Association and the Tibetan Community in Ladakh.
A few days before leaving Ladakh, the Dalai Lama was honoured at a thanksgiving and farewell cultural programme at the Kalachakra Teaching Ground. During his stay, he also granted public audiences to 21,572 people from different backgrounds and age groups. The Dalai Lama traditionally travels to Ladakh during the monsoon season, seeking its drier and more temperate climate. He had also visited the region in July last year. McLeodganj has been the Dalai Lama's exile home for more than six decades. It also serves as the headquarters of the Tibetan community in exile and a centre for his religious and public activities.
His return was eagerly awaited by Tibetans in Dharamshala and nearby areas, as well as followers from across the region. With the Dalai Lama back in McLeodganj, his religious activities, teachings and public audiences are expected to resume soon, which could also provide a boost to local tourism.
