Mundgod — His Holiness the Dalai Lama attended a Long Life Prayer offered to him by Gaden Monastery and the Mundgod Tibetan Community at the Gaden Lachi Monastery in Mundgod, Karnataka, India on January 21, 2026. The Tibetan community in Mundgod also presented an honorary award to express their gratitude to His Holiness the Dalai Lama for guiding the Tibetan people during these difficult times.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama left Drepung Gomang Monastery around at 7:45 am and travelled to Ganden Monastery, located 5.5 km away. His first stop was Jangtsé College, where he had been invited to consecrate a new building housing classrooms, statues of Je Tsongkhapa and His Holiness that adorn it, and a new library.
When His Holiness arrived with a beaming smile on his face. He was greeted by Ganden Tri Rinpoché. His Holiness lit a butter lamp as an auspicious inaugural gesture. A mandala and representations of the body, speech and mind of the Buddha were offered. His Holiness also consecrated the newly constructed Ganden Serdong Khang—the House of Golden Reliquaries that commemorate past holders of the Ganden Throne.
His Holiness then headed to Gaden Lachi, where a long life prayer would be recited. The road was strewn with flower petals. His Holiness was greeted by Tashi Shölpa dancers, as well as dancers representing various regions of Tibet. He lit another inaugural lamp and was escorted under a large golden ceremonial parasol to his throne in the Ganden Lachi meeting hall by Ganden Tri Rinpoche, the two abbots of Shartsé and Jangtsé monasteries, the representative of the Tibetan colony in Mundgod, and the disciplinary masters of Gaden Monastery.
Once His Holiness was seated, the Ganden Tri Rinpoché presented him with a katag, a white silk scarf, and then took his own seat facing him as he presided over the ritual together with the Shartsé Chöjé and the two Venerable Abbots of Shartsé and Jangtsé Monasteries. Tri Rinpoché has been leading the tsé-drub, the preparations for the Long-Life prayers last few days.
The Ganden Tri Rinpoché with the Abbots of Ganden Shartsé and Jangtsé, as well as the Settlement Officer offered a mandala and representations of the body, speech and mind of the Buddha, explicitly requesting His Holiness to live long. A procession of people bearing offerings filed through the temple while prayers for His Holiness’s Long Life and his long name mantra — Om Ah Guru Vajradhara Bhattaraka Manjushri Vagindra Sumati Jnana Shasana Dhara Samudra Shri Bhadra Sarva Siddhi Hum Hum — were recited.
The Settlement Officer Mrs Rinchen Wangmo read a request to His Holiness as the embodiment of Avalokiteshvara. “Those of us here have unflinching faith in you. You have reached 90 years old at a critical time for the Buddha-dharma and the people of Tibet. You have worked hard to guide us and we, people of Döguling Tibetan Settlement, offer you a gold and silver Wheel of Dharma to represent our single-pointed devotion and in celebration of your 90th year. May all obstacles to your life be averted. May your life be unwavering and unobstructed.”
His Holiness accepts the request, and a thanksgiving mandala is offered to him in gratitude.
As the ceremony came to an end, His Holiness rose from the throne and walked steadily through the assembly hall, smiling and acknowledging members of the congregation. The Gaden Tri Rinpoché came to see him off. His Holiness rode in a golf-cart from the door of the assembly hall to an awaiting car in which he then drove back to Drepung Gomang.
