Tiny Sikkim village near China border celebrates Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday with devotion

A small Himalayan village just five kilometres from the Indo-China border has held its annual celebration for the Dalai Lama's 90th birthday, continuing a tradition that has endured for over five decades despite the area's sensitive geopolitical location.

 

Sherathang, situated near Nathula Pass in Sikkim, brought together its 25 households and Indian Army personnel for the milestone birthday celebration. The event takes on added significance as global attention focuses on succession questions surrounding the Tibetan spiritual leader.

 

The village's proximity to the disputed border has not deterred residents from maintaining their annual tribute to the Dalai Lama. This year's gathering featured traditional Buddhist prayers, butter lamp lighting, and community meals shared between villagers and soldiers stationed at the frontier.

 

Nima Sherpa, the village's traditional headman, organised the celebration. "Today, His Holiness the Dalai Lama's 90th birthday is being celebrated all over the world, and today it is also being celebrated here in our small village of Thangro," he told reporters. "What we learned from our elders, we too got the opportunity to do the same today."

 

The participation of Indian Army personnel alongside villagers creates an unusual display of civilian-military cooperation in one of the world's most-watched border regions. Children performed in traditional dress while elders offered prayers for peace and the Dalai Lama's longevity.

 

The celebration reflects the enduring devotion to the Dalai Lama in border communities, even as questions about his eventual reincarnation draw international diplomatic attention. China claims authority over selecting the next Dalai Lama, while the current spiritual leader has suggested the tradition might end with him.

 

For Sherathang's residents, the annual gathering represents both religious observance and cultural preservation in a region where such expressions carry particular weight given the geopolitical landscape.