Dharamshala (Himachal Pradesh) [India], July 6 : Tibetans living in exile gathered in large numbers in Dharamshala on Monday to celebrate the 91st birth anniversary of the 14th Dalai Lama with prayers, cultural performances and official ceremonies.
The celebrations began with the Indian and Tibetan national anthems, followed by a cake-cutting ceremony. Tibetan artists presented traditional cultural performances, while leaders of the Tibetan government-in-exile delivered speeches marking the occassion.
Around 3,000 to 4,000 Tibetans in exile, along with local Indian residents and foreign supporters, attended the celebrations at the Main Tibetan Temple, Tsuglagkhang. Kangra Deputy Commissioner Hemraj Bairwa attended the event as the chief guest.
Although the Dalai Lama attended his birthday celebrations in Ladakh, devotees in Dharamshala said they were delighted to mark the occasion together and prayed for his long life and good health.
Tenzin Kunsel, a Tibetan woman, told ANI, "We all have gathered here to celebrate the 91st birthday of his holiness the Dalai Lama, and all of us are very happy. We wish him a healthy and long life."

Foreigner devotees Simon and Lucas told ANI that they were feeling privileged to be here, and since the Dalai Lama himself was in Ladakh, they missed his presence here in Dharamshala.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday extended warm greetings to the 14th Dalai Lama on the occasion of his 91st birthday, praising his enduring dedication to global peace and harmony.
The Prime Minister conveyed his wishes in a post on X, highlighting the universal resonance of the Tibetan spiritual leader's teachings and his profound moral influence on the international stage.
"Warm birthday greetings to His Holiness the Dalai Lama. His message of peace and harmony has been a guiding force for people across the world. His moral and spiritual strength and his commitment to global good are commendable. Wishing him a long and healthy life," PM Modi stated.
Concurrently, Tibetan Buddhist monks-in-exile and residents gathered early in the morning at the Dorje Drak Monastery in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, to offer special prayers and participate in religious rituals, dedicating the day to the longevity and global message of their spiritual leader.
This worldwide reverence traces back to his early life in Tibet. Born to a small farming family in Takster on July 6, 1935, he was originally named Lhamo Thondup, which literally means "Wish-Fulfilling Goddess", according to the Dalai Lama's website.
At the age of two, he was recognised as the reincarnation of the 13th Dalai Lama and was brought to Lhasa in October 1939 before being formally installed as the head of the State of Tibet on February 22, 1940.
Named Tenzin Gyatso at the age of six, he officially assumed full temporal leadership of Tibet on November 17, 1950, in a ceremony held at the Norbulingka Palace.
However, his leadership took a dramatic turn in March 1959 when, following the suppression of the Tibetan National Uprising, the spiritual leader was forced to escape into exile in India along with more than 80,000 refugees.
More than six decades after he first entered exile, the anniversary serves as an enduring symbol of the broader struggle over faith, identity, and legitimacy. This remains a complex geopolitical and cultural challenge that Beijing has still failed to solve.
This event, organised systematically every year by the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), remains a major draw for followers worldwide.