The 80th Birthday Celebrations of His Holiness The Dalai Lama
6th July marks a very important day not just for Buddhism but also for all religions and world peace in general. Being the birthday of His Holiness The Dalai Lama, it is celebrated with great enthusiasm all over the globe in different ways.
In Delhi, the celebrations comprised a week long exhibition of photographs, thanka paintings, films and books on the life of Dalai Lama, panel discussions, book launch of the Tibetan translation of the ‘A Force For Good: The Dalai Lama’s Vision for Our World’ at India International Centre, a peace walk from Raj Ghat to Red Fort which saw participation of around 1000 Indians and the final planting of trees on the morning of the birthday at Tibet House. Tibetan colonies like those in Majnu ka Tilla celebrate this day with great fervor.
“The practice of planting tree saplings on each birthday of his holiness is extremely unique as Dalai Lama promotes green and ecology and it serves as a symbol to inform the world that we need to take care of the environment and vegetation.”, said the Director of The Tibet House, Ven. Geshe Dorji Damdul.
On asking Ven. Geshe Dorji Damdul about his word of advice for the youth to cope up with everyday stress, he said, “Just make things simple. Don’t complicate them. Go for your own life example. Ask yourself when you were the happiest. The very thought of happiness dissolves stress. Genuine love, skillful affection, unjudgemental attitude dissolve stress. This is the secret to happiness.”
One of the students planting saplings at the Tibet House today, Kaveri Gill, said that for her, the prime teaching of Buddhism that redefined her life was the learning of the fact that life is an illusion and we are all merely role-playing. She also said that it was time India honoured the contribution of His Holiness with laurels.
The peace and tranquility one experiences as soon as one steps inside The Tibet House and the enlightening words by the inmates makes one want to revisit the place again, not just on one’s own birthday or on his holiness The Dalai Lama’s birthday but to learn to celebrate each day as a birthday.
