March 31, 2009
Posted: 1817 GMT

NEW DELHI, India – It's not every day that one gets to follow the Dalai Lama as he makes his presence felt in eight different places of prayer in Delhi as a tribute to India on the occasion of his 50 years in exile.

The Dalai Lama sits down with muslim elders at the Nizamuddin Chilla shrine.
The Dalai Lama sits down with muslim elders at the Nizamuddin Chilla shrine.

We have the list of places that the Dalai Lama is visiting and our very first stop is the Gandhi Smriti - the place where Mahatma Gandhi spent the last 144 days of his life. 

He took his last breath on the same grounds after being assassinated while on his way to the daily prayer meeting. It's a piece of history that every Indian has read in school, myself included.

As we make our way inside the well-kept premises, devotional Indian music floats through the early morning sunlight and hazy blue skies. Despite the early hour and it being a working day, there is more than a smattering of people to witness the Dalai Lama's presence in this revered place.

The Dalai Lama's arrival creates a slight frenzy as media folks rush to capture his every move and visitors eagerly crane their neck to take a look. After paying tribute at Gandhi's memorial, he sits down on the sheet spread over the grass to enjoy a few minutes of the music.

Despite us rushing to get the right shots and the correct sound, one can't help but notice how peaceful this place feels amidst all the greenery. After the Dalai Lama graciously thanks the musicians, he heads for his next stop - an Ashram devoted to the cause of non-violence.

Meanwhile, we drive down to a Muslim shrine known as Nizamuddin Chilla located in central Delhi, the third stop on the Dalai Lama's tour. Named after a Sufi saint, this place is nestled right behind another famous monument, the Mughal emperor Humayun's tomb. Walking up the stairs the place feels lost in time, like we just stumbled back into a different century. A reminder of our current situation comes in the form of tight security.

We are frisked and our equipment is checked. As a mark of respect everyone has to remove their shoes before entering this holy place.

When the Dalai Lama arrives, he is greeted by the shrine elders and presented with the Islamic prayer cap. As the media crowds around the leaders to get a good shot, Sanjiv, our cameraman, mounts a short ladder we usually carry with our gear to get a bird's eye view.

In a sit down with all the visitors and the religious leaders, the shrine elders heap praise on the spiritual leader for promoting peace. The Dalai Lama praises Islam as an ancient religion which has much to contribute to the world. In a sit-down interview with our correspondent Sara Sidner yesterday, the Dalai Lama was quick to offer his views on the religion. Dalai Lama thanks India for 50 years in exile

Our fourth stop for the day is the Judah Hyam Synagogue. The Synagogue is crowded with worshippers and the Dalai Lama is given a warm welcome and a prayer is offered. Our next stop is the Sikh Temple, also known as the Gurudwara Rakab Ganj. Again, we leave our shoes at the entrance as a mark of respect and also cover our head with a scarf.

As we hurry to our next stop, Sara forgets to wear her shoes!  With little time left we make a dash to cover the Dalai Lama at The Cathedral church of Redemption.

Our final stop is at the Buddhist Society and the Laxmi Narayan Hindu Temple, both situated side-by-side. Security at the temple is more stringent than any of the other place of worship.

Covering the Dalai Lama as he visits different places in the city in quick succession has been tricky but we just had to make sure we made it on time, despite the Delhi traffic. No easy task.

One can't help but marvel at the Dalai Lama's energy. Watch Sara Sidner's exclusive interview with the Dalai Lama

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Filed under: Asia • China • General • India


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jack   March 31st, 2009 2054 GMT

HHDL is a great man. He says all the right things and does some. The problem is that he is believed to be God in Tibet. As long as this is the case, he would have to be kept away. No cop can direct traffic when God walks down the pike.

The Jonestown liberals could not comprehend the weight of the word GOD. Comparisons to MLK or Gandhi are not appropriate. To his believers in Tibet. He is Jesus Christ Himself.

Now do you still want him in your backyard?

Mariciela   April 1st, 2009 2346 GMT

In response to "Jack's" comment, YES I DO WANT THE DALAI LAMA IN MY BACKYARD! The problem is not that he is believed to be God in Tibet. The problem is with people who are not comfortable living next door to God. The Dalai Lama is incredibly consistent, a gentleman, a peacekeeper ~ we need more of this, in every country!

Anne   April 3rd, 2009 1410 GMT

The Dalai Lama is not God to the Tibetans. He is their spiritual head; he is believed to be the 13th incarnation of the Bodhisattava of Compassion who is the patron saint of Tibet. A bodhisattava is an enlightened being who has postponed nirvana to serve mankind.

leslie   April 9th, 2009 1602 GMT

loved the international reporting...thank goodness CNN understands how important it is to keep reporters in other areas around the globe.

its not what it was when ted turner was there...he had embeds everywhere it seemed...those where days we the people could truly trust the media because they were not sitting in air conditions studios acting like experts on places they had never been.

sara sidner we are proud of you.

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