The Dalai Lama turned 90 on Sunday surrounded by thousands of followers, who thronged the Himalayan town of Dharamshala, where the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism has been living in exile since fleeing Chinese rule in Tibet in 1959.

Thousands of people gathered in India’s Dharamshala on Sunday to celebrate the 90th birthday of the Dalai Lama – a key milestone in the life of the spiritual leader and Nobel Peace laureate known for his message of compassion and his quest for greater freedoms for Tibet under Beijing’s rule.

The Dalai Lama says he hopes to live until he is over 130 years old, a remark he made during a ceremony organized by his followers to offer prayers for his long life as he prepares to celebrate his 90