Tiger New Year downplayed

India - A religious ceremony where thousands of Buddhist monks and foreigners gathered at Tsuglagkhank, the main Buddhist temple in Dharamsala, northern India, had Tibet's spiritual leader send out wishers for the Tibetan New Year, but the Dalai Lama also reminded attendees,

"We are not celebrating the New Year, Losar, in a very grand way; we are only performing the religious ceremony and rituals. I wish all the Tibetans inside and outside Tibet and also forward my greetings of Losar to all followers in Himalayan regions, and to all the friends and Buddhist followers. I would only say that every Tibetan and Buddhist follower should study and learn Buddhist philosophy, and study modern culture and Tibetan philosophy."

This is the second year celebrations of the lunar new year have been downplayed in remembrance of the suffering of people inside Tibet.