Dalai Lama & Jasmine Revolution

Calling all specialists to quickly come up with a term that can be an antonym to the Jasmine revolution... In my opinion, Dalai Lama announcing his retirement from politics is just that.. While, every other leader, be it elected, self appointed ruler / owner of countries these days, clamour for more power, and stoop at nothing to hold on, here is our Dalai Lama who says he is retiring!! Its such a welcome relief to see such people in today's world. To digress a bit, I read in today's paper that a very powerful, local leader in Tamil Nadu plans to contest in a 'safe constituency'... if the leader is so shaky and insecure, what can be the fate of the rest, in the party?? We, in India, lack leaders who are strong and visionary and that is definitely one of the major factors for the decadence we see in our country.

 

Getting back to Dalai Lama, personally, there are very few spiritual faces in the world who I greatly admire & adore, and Dalai Lama is one of them (the only other is Sri Sri Ravi Shankar). There is something about him that makes me smile when I just read about him or hear his name mentioned; I love his talks and lectures, heard a few on TV and one Live. He is so cute and so simple. I watched him with interest in an interview, years ago, that his hobby was to set wristwatches right!! What a quaint thing for a Spiritual and Political leader of Tibet!

Everything about him is so humble and he epitomises Peace, to me. It is such a paradox that a person who exudes so much happiness and peace to everyone around him does not have the Chinese feel the same way, as the rest of the World.




The recent announcement by Dalai Lama has further strengthened his arguments for a free and elected leader for Tibet. I do wish there are other leaders who take the cue from him and learn to be inspiring mentors to the young, rather than clinging on to power for dear life!