Dalai Lama belongs to entire world: Ramdev

DHARAMSALA - Recounting memories of his meeting with Dalai Lama, spiritual guru Baba Ramdev Thursday said the Tibetan leader not only belongs to Tibet and Tibetans, but also to the entire world.

Ramdev was here to provide yoga lessons to the exiles. More than 10,000 Tibetans comprising monks, nuns and schoolchildren attended the two-hour yoga training session near the picturesque Himachal Pradesh Cricket Stadium.

Tibetan prime minister-in-exile Samdhong Rinpoche also attended the session. In his address, Rinpoche commended Ramdev for reviving the practice of yoga.

After the session, Ramdev addressed a gathering of Tibetans at a function organised by the department of religion and culture of the Central Tibetan Administration.

We would be very happy today if His Holiness the Dalai Lama was among us here, but we can very much feel his spiritual presence, he said.

The Dalai Lama is currently touring the US.

Ramdev recounted happy memories of his meeting with the Dalai Lama and how the latter once playfully pulled his beard.

The Nobel laureate normally tugs the beard of Ramdev when they greet each other.

Senior BJP leader L.K. Advani wrote in one of his blogs: I was amazed to see (at one of the functions where the Dalai Lama and Ramdev were present) the Dalai Lama first greet him as one does normally but without much ado, actually pull his beard quite vigorously. Ramdevji laughed out aloud and said that is his way, he always does it when he meets me.