Thousands gather to hear Dalai Lama in India
Thousands gather to hear Dalai Lama speak in Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh
Monday, 09, Nov 2009 02:36
Thousands of Tibetans have gathered to hear an address by the Dalai Lama in Tawang in India.
The Dalia Lama is currently touring Arunachal Pradesh on a "spiritual lecture" tour of the disputed Indian state.
He held a mass audience of ten of thousands of devotees, with more than 30,000 people in the grounds of a monastery in the state, which gave refuge to the Dalia Lama when he fled Tibet 50 years ago.
The exiled Tibetan spiritual leader's decision to hold the tour in Arunachal has been condemned by China, who claim the area is their own territory.
"Compassion and peace are the two words that should be remembered by all," the Dalai Lama is quoted by the AFP news agency as saying when he opened his programme of religious teaching.
He added that his visit was "non-political".