COVID-19 Pandemic: Dalai Lama to reach out to followers online

Owing to the COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions on the arrival of his followers and admirers in this Himalayan hill town to experience the teachings of Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, his office has devised a way to reach out to them through webcast.

His private office here said on Friday that at the request of individuals and groups from around the world, the spiritual leader agreed to give two-day teachings from 8 a.m. to 9.30 a.m. on May 16 and 17. "His Holiness has also been requested to provide general advice appropriate to these challenging times," the office said in a statement.

Those interested can watch the live webcast of the teachings and listen to them in Tibetan, English, Chinese and other languages on the official websites and Facebook pages of the Dalai Lama. More young Indians are annually arriving here for the teachings and sermons of the Dalai Lama.

His teachings on ethics, non-violence, peace and religious harmony have made him one of the most popular and revered figures. Some people come here in search of Tibetan culture and spiritual sustenance. The spiritual guru's teachings are free and open to the public.

The teaching sessions are held at the request of followers and devotees, mostly Westerners and Asians. The Dalai Lama teaches in Tibetan, and there are simultaneous translations in English, Hindi, Chinese and Russian for the participants.

In a message across the world celebrating Buddha Purnima on Thursday, the Dalai Lama said: "We need to promote inter-religious understanding by underlining the fact that all religions promote the happiness of all people.

"Also, at a time when serious crises confront the world, when we face threats to our health and we feel saddened about the family and friends we have lost, we must focus on what unites us as members of one human family.

"Accordingly, we need to reach out to each other with compassion, for it is only by coming together in a coordinated, global effort that we will meet the unprecedented challenges we face."