85th Birthday of Dalai Lama officially celebrated in Main Tibetan Temple in McLeodganj 

Dharamshala: The Birthday of Dalai Lama was officially celebrated in the Main Tibetan Temple in McLeodganj Dharamshala on Monday by prayers by Tibetans and others obeying the directions of Indian Government imposed for Covid-19.
“Today is July 6th, my birthday. It’s not possible for large numbers of people to hold a big celebration because of restrictions due to the pandemic. And it’s not necessary either. However, if you want to celebrate my birthday, I would like to ask you to recite the Mani mantra (Om Mani Padme Hung) at least a thousand times,” on  his 85th birthday, His Holiness the Dalai Lama said to his community and followers from his residence in Dharamshala, HP.
In his message he said, “The reason for my saying this is that we Tibetans have a unique connection with Avalokiteshvara. After we came into exile in India and after I settled here in Dharamshala, the statue of Chenrezig Wati Sangpo was brought to me here from western Tibet. When the monks of Dzongkar Chode Monastery were moving from Dharamshala to southern India, I did dough-ball divination to see whether the statue should go with them or remain here with me. The result indicated that Wati Sangpo preferred to stay here with me — so I serve as his caretaker.”
The Nobel peace Laureate further added, “There is something special about this Wati Sangpo such that sometimes I feel he smiles at me. Since the altruistic awakening mind of bodhichitta is my principle practice, Wait Sangpo is like my refuge, protector and guardian.Therefore, as I often say, Avalokiteshvara is my boss and I am his messenger. So if you wish to celebrate my birthday, remember Avalokiteshvara.”
Dalai lama further said that therefore, on my birthday, either visualize me, Gyalwa Rinpoche as inseparable from Avalokiteshvara or visualize Avalokiteshvara as the principal deity and me as a monk sitting in front of him. If you then recite his mantra (Om Mani Padme Hung) a thousand times, it will be beneficial.
With that practice, you will create some roots of virtue that you can dedicate for me — Avalakiteshvara’s messenger — to live for 110 or 108 years or so. May everyone be happy and well.”
Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile have also made a statement on the occasion of the 85th birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama saying In 1949, communist ruled China began its armed invasion of Tibet, Dalai lama was only 16 years old at that time. Dalai lama adopted broadmindedness and fortitude when the Chinese government acted with brutality and violence, relying only on the non-violent method that ensured no harm to the other side. After that the situation in Tibet became even more critical and dangerous, with the result that it became inevitable for His Holiness the Dalai Lama to leave Norbu Lingkha Palace on the night of the 17th of March 1959 to escape towards the holy land of India. When He safely reached India on the 31st day of March in 1959, His Holiness the Dalai Lama was only 24 years old. Even so, He took care for His people like a parent would his children. Regarding the mutually beneficial Middle Way Policy being currently pursued as an effort to resolve the issue of Tibet, His Holiness the Dalai Lama outlined the rudiments of a policy decision back in 1974 not to seek restoration of the independence of Tibet, should an opportunity for dialogue with the government of China arise in the near future. In 2011, His Holiness relinquished all his historical political and governance powers in favour of the leadership directly elected by the Tibetan people.
The statement also said that after it carried out its annexation of Tibet in 1959, the People’s Liberation Army of communist party ruled China and continued to make attempts to encroach into India from all across its border areas. And recently, a dispute in the Galwan Valley in Ladakh led to a clash between the troops from the two sides with the result that 20 Indian soldiers died and several others were injured. The Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile wishes to express our condolences to India for the tragedy which resulted from that unfortunate incident.
More than 60 years have passed since the Tibetan people came into exile in India. During that period, apart from the holy land of India, many other countries, being appreciative of our hardship and problems under such a circumstance, have extended all possible assistance, help, and partnership under programmes which continue to this day. Hence, we take the opportunity provided by this occasion to express our gratitude on behalf of all the people of Tibet to the governments and peoples of these countries and, likewise, to all the members of parliaments, organizations, and individuals.
“Finally, we pray with great hope that His Holiness the Dalai Lama may live for a hundred aeons, that all his wishes may be seen fulfilled with spontaneity, and that the just cause of Tibet may be seen to prevail with indubitable certainty,” Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile .
Dalai Lama office in Dharamshala says that His Holiness received many birthday greetings through internet/social media, this include  greetings from former US  President Bush , who sent his greetings, “Laura (Former first lady) and I send our very best wishes on your 85th birthday. I admire you, I care for you and I love you.”
Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Indian Minister Kiren Rijiju and others. The US Ambassador to India, Kenneth Ian Juster greeted His Holiness the Dalai Lama on the auspicious occasion of His 85th birthday. Acclaimed US Cellist Michael Fitzpatrick , US Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, Indian Nobel Peace Laureate, Kailash Satyarthi, US Congressman, Jim McGovern , Spiritual Head of Parmarth Niketan Ashram based in India, Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswati ,Australian Senator, Kimberly Kitching ,Leader of the Liberal Party, Norway, Trine Skei Grande, 1989 Nobel Committee, Norway, Bishop Gunnar Stalsett, ,Former National Security Advisor, India, Shivshankar Menon , MP and Co-Chair of APPGT, UK, Tim Loughton , National General Secretary, BJP, India, Ram Madhav ,Neuroscientist, Brazil,  Elisa H. Kozasa ,Fernando Salinas, Chile wished a warm happy birthday in Spanish. Hiraoka Hidenobu, Director of Seifu Gakuen High School, Japan,  Australian MP, Kevin Andrews , Taiwanese Tibet Support Group ,Chinese Civil Rights Activist, Chen Guangcheng ,Ela Gandhi, granddaughter of Mahatma Gandhi, US Congressman, Andy Levin Palas Athens Association, Brazil, Lia Diskin, Taiwanese MP, Freddy Lim, and many others were the first to wish Dalai Lama in the morning.