long life prayers to the revered Tibetan leader Dalai Lama.

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Day 24

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Large number of Tibetans along with Indians and foreigners  converged in the main Tibetan Temple (Tsuglag-Khang) of Mclodganj near Dharmshala in Himachal Pardesh of India to take part in a religious ceremony offering long life prayers to the revered Tibetan leader Dalai Lama.
                        The grand ceremonial prayers, jointly organized by the Tibetan Government-in-exile and the people of Tibet, was held to wish “long life” and at the same time pray for the “simultaneous fulfillment of all the wishes of His Holiness the Dalai Lama”.The spiritual heads of the four main sects of Tibetan Buddhism and traditional Bon religion of Tibet took part in the religious offering ceremony.Top official of the Tibetan government, including the Prime Minister Prof Samdhong Rinpoche and his cabinet members took part in the ceremony.

According to a statement from the organisers, the ceremonial offering was part of a series of events being organised this year to “mark the 50th anniversary of the uprising day and the exile of His Holiness the Dalai Lama". Similar ceremonial long life offerings are also occasionally held by Tibetan people organizations as a collective expression of gratitude and reverence to the Dalai Lama for his leadership.