Tibetans in exile wonder, will the next Dalai Lama be as charismatic as this one?
For decades, the 14th Dalai Lama has been more than a spiritual leader. He has sustained a nation in exile and managed to build a community that's kept the Tibetan culture and identity alive.
He is the China -reviled spokesperson for a Tibetan homeland that many, like him, can see only from afar. He has received a Nobel Peace Prize and been courted by royalty, politicians and Hollywood stars, helping him draw global attention and support for Tibet.
When his death comes, it will pitch the global Tibetan community into uncertainty, perhaps for years. His successor will have to be found through the traditional process of reincarnation. China, whose troops took control of Tibet in 1950, says it will reject anyone chosen without Beijing's consent.
Tibetans in India's Himalayan town of Dharamshala, the Dalai Lama's home in exile, and scattered around the world fear a new onslaught on their cultural and religious identity.
'The absence of His Holiness would be a huge setback for the Tibetans,' said Penpa Tsering, the head of the democratically elected Tibetan government-in-exile. 'The responsibility lies on us as to how we carry forward the legacy of His Holiness.'
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The Wire
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- The Wire
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