Dharamshala — His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama arrived in Dharamshala today morning, after undergoing successful knee surgery in the United States and spending two months convalescing. His Holiness was warmly welcomed by Tibetans, Indians and well-wishers who lined the streets from the airport to his residence at Mcleod Ganji. People wore their best robes and held khata (white scarves), flowers and incense as they greeted His Holiness with joyful smiles.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama, spiritual leader of Tibet, arrived at Kangra Airport from New Delhi around 8:30 am, His Holiness was warmly received by Speaker Khenpo Sonam Tenphel of Tibetan Parliament-in-exile, Sikyong Penpa Tsering of Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), Security Kalon (Minister) Dolma Gyari, Settlement Officer Kunchok Migmar, as well as by representatives of Tibetan NGOs, local Indian leaders and communities and various religious leaders.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama departed from Dharamshala on June 21, 2024 for the United States, His Holiness stayed one night in Zurich, Switzerland and then departured to New York on August 23, 2024, where he underwent a successful knee treatment on June 28, 2024 and spent two months recuperating in New York. His Holiness attended a long-life prayer offerred to him by the Tibetan, Mongolian and Himalayan communities of North America in New York, on August 22, 2024, after which His Holiness travelled to Zurich, Switzerland, on August 23, and His Holiness also attended a long-life prayer offerred to him by Tibetans in Zurich, on August 25, 2024.
The Tibetan, Mongolian and Himalayan communities of North America offered a long life prayer to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibet, on August 22, 2024 at the UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, USA. A huge crowd of 17,000 people, including monks, abbots and former abbots of Tibetan monasteries, Tibetans from the United States and Canada, Mongolians, people from the Himalayan regions and a group of 400 Tibetan children filled the UBS Arena to pray for his long life. The Tibetan Community in Switzerland and Liechtenstein offered a long life prayer to His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Zurich, Switzerland, on August 25, 2024 and a crowd of 15,000 people, including Tibetans from all over Europe, attended the long life prayer to His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet and teaching of His Holiness at the Hallenstadion in Zurich, Switzerland.
His Holiness then left Zurich for New India on August 26, and after spending a night in New Delhi, arrived in Dharamshala on the morning of August 28, where he was warmly welcomed back to his exile home in Dharamshala by top CTA officials and Tibetans, Indians and well-wishers from around Dharamshala.