Leh, Jun 28: Tibetan spiritual leader the 14th Dalai Lama arrived in Leh on Sunday on a special Army flight from New Delhi and was accorded a grand welcome by thousands of devotees and dignitaries.
He was received at Leh Technical Airport by senior religious, social, and political leaders, including Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA) president Chering Dorjay, Ladakh Gonpa Association vice president Geshe Lobzang Tashi, Rinpoches, monks, nuns, and representatives of various religious communities.
Thousands of people lined the route from the airport to Jivetsal in Choglamsar, greeting the Dalai Lama with traditional khataks, flowers, and prayers as his motorcade passed by.
LBA president Chering Dorjay said the Dalai Lama will remain in Ladakh for about two months, primarily to rest and recuperate following his recent knee surgery.
He added that the schedule for the Dalai Lama’s public teachings has not yet been finalized and will be announced by the Office of the Dalai Lama once confirmed.
Preparations are also underway to celebrate the Dalai Lama’s 91st birthday on July 6 at the Jivetsal teaching ground in Leh. Organisers expect this year’s celebrations to be especially significant as His Holiness is currently in Ladakh, though it is yet to be confirmed whether he will personally attend the event.
