Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, Sept. 4: The Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama returned to Dharamshala on Friday after spending more than two months in Leh, Ladakh, bringing to a close an extended summer sojourn marked by religious teachings, public audiences, and engagements with people from across the Himalayan region.
The nonagenarian leader was warmly welcomed by thousands of Tibetans and local Indian residents who lined the streets of Dharamshala as his convoy made its way to his residence.
The spiritual leader had been in Ladakh from June 28 to September 4, following medical treatment for his left knee in Delhi. His annual summer visits to Ladakh have become a longstanding practice, allowing him to escape Dharamshala’s intense monsoon season while continuing his religious and public engagements in the Himalayan region.
During his stay, the Dalai Lama held public audiences in Leh for 49 days, receiving a total of 21,572 people. He also attended a Long-Life Prayer offering at the Kalachakra Teaching Ground, a gathering that reflected the region’s distinctive interfaith character. The prayer ceremony was jointly organised by the Ladakh Buddhist Association, Ladakh Gonpa Association, the Muslim communities represented by Anjuman Imamia and Anjuman Moin-ul-Islam, and the Christian community of Ladakh.
The Dalai Lama’s return to Dharamshala follows a period of heightened attention to his health and mobility. He underwent surgery on his left knee in June this year in Delhi, following a successful right knee replacement performed in June 2025 at Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) in New York, one of the world’s leading orthopaedic centres. After his 2025 procedure, the Tibetan spiritual leader spent a period recovering in Syracuse, New York, where he underwent extensive physical therapy before returning to Dharamshala.
Despite persistent mobility challenges, the Dalai Lama has maintained a demanding public schedule in recent years, continuing to conduct religious teachings, grant audiences, and participate in official and community engagements. During large public gatherings, he has occasionally relied on aides and a golf cart to cover longer distances between his residence and the Tsuglagkhang, the Main Tibetan Temple, where he regularly conducts teachings and public ceremonies.
