Dalai Lama's Sikkim visit cancelled after doctors' advice

Gangtok, Feb 2: Following doctors' advice to cut down on his travels in view of his advancing age, Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama's proposed visit to Sikkim next month stands cancelled.

Tenzin Taklha, the Secretary at the office of the Dalai Lama, in a mail to Sikkim's Ecclesiastical Affairs Secretary Samten Dolma, yesterday said that the spiritual leader's proposed visit to the Himalayan state from March 20 to March 29 stands cancelled.

The Dalai Lama's doctors' have advised to him to cut down on his travels and not to exert himself, Dolma said. It will be too much for him to undertake another visit too soon as he has been showing signs of exhaustion given his advanced age, he said.

The 82-year-old Buddhist spiritual leader had returned to Dharamshala on January 31 last after a two-month travel to various parts of the country.

PTI