Gangtok (Sikkim) [India], July 7 (ANI): Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) Minister Palden Dhondup on Monday said the 91st birthday celebrations of the 14th Dalai Lama embodied the spirit of compassion and 'Bhaichara' (brotherhood) as people from different cultures and religions gathered together in Gangtok, where a new Tibetan Community Centre was inaugurated.

Speaking to ANI after the inauguration, Dhondup said the Dalai Lama's birthday was celebrated across the world and expressed happiness over the participation of people from diverse communities in Sikkim.

'We celebrated it in a grand way worldwide. I was invited by the Culture Department. And of course, our President of Central Tibetan Administration also invited me as a guest of honour. Unlikely, he has to go to Ladakh. Then I came here,' he said.

'What I felt is very happy because all the community representatives of all the religions gathered here, celebrating this--this is the compassion that we are saying is compassion as 'Bhaichara'. What is 'Bhaichara'? 'Bhaichara' in this sense, all the different cultures and religions stay together warmly, warm-heartedly. This is called compassion. So I feel very good,' he added.

The Tibetan Community Centre was inaugurated in Gangtok as part of the celebrations marking the Dalai Lama's 91st birthday.

The celebrations coincided with events held across India and abroad to mark the birth anniversary of the Tibetan spiritual leader.

In Dharamshala, thousands of Tibetans living in exile gathered at the Main Tibetan Temple, Tsuglagkhang, for prayers, cultural performances and official ceremonies organised by the Central Tibetan Administration. Although the Dalai Lama attended celebrations in Ladakh, devotees in Dharamshala prayed for his long life and good health.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended birthday greetings to the Dalai Lama, saying his message of peace and harmony had inspired people across the world.

In a post on X, the Prime Minister wished the Tibetan spiritual leader a long and healthy life, praising his moral and spiritual strength and commitment to the global good.

Meanwhile, Tibetan Buddhist monks at the Dorje Drak Monastery in Shimla offered special prayers for the Dalai Lama's longevity, with devotees describing him as a global symbol of peace and compassion whose teachings continue to inspire millions.

Born as Lhamo Thondup on July 6, 1935, in Takster, Tibet, the Dalai Lama was recognised at the age of two as the reincarnation of the 13th Dalai Lama. After assuming Tibet's temporal leadership in 1950, he fled to India in 1959 following the suppression of the Tibetan National Uprising and has since lived in exile, while continuing to advocate peace, compassion and the preservation of Tibetan identity. (ANI)