Prayers mark 73rd birthday of Dalai Lama

Dharamsala, Jul 7 (PTI) Prayers for long life marked the
73rd birthday celebrations of Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai
Lama here Sunday.

People from different walks of lives offered prayers for
his long life at the official function organised at the
Tibetan main temple om McLeodganj here.

It was attended by all ministers of the Tibetan
government-in-exile and Prime Minister Prof Samdhong Rinpoche.

Speaker of the exile Parliament Karma Choephel and
Congress M.L.A. from Arunachal Pradesh T.G. Rompuche were also
present.

The Tibetan temporal head did not attend the function,
his secretary and spokesman Tenzin Takhla told P.T.I.

He said the function was organised in a simple manner in
view of those who suffered during recent protests for homeland
in Lhasa and other provinces of Tibet.

For the same reason, cultural functions, which are part
of celebrations every year, have been cancelled.

Tenzin Gyatso, who is the 14th and current Dalai Lama,
was born on July 6, 1935 in Qinghai. He was fifth of 16
children born to a farming family in Taktser village in
Qinghai province of Tibet, sources in the exile government
said.

He was proclaimed the 'Tulku' (rebirth) of the 13th
Dalai Lama two years after he was born. On November 17, 1950,
he was enthroned as Tibet's 14th Dalai Lama at the age of 15
years. PTI