On Monday, the Dalai Lama apologized after a video of the meeting between him and a boy in the Indian city of Dharamsala caused massive reactions.
The clip shows the boy asking the Dalai Lama for a hug, which he gets, but then it all gets a little strange:
The spiritual director kisses the child on the mouth, then asks him to suck his tongue.
The meeting took place in the Indian city of Dharamsala in February this year.
Lies flat after this
– Positive energy
In a new clip, published by the Tibetan news media Voice of Tibetthe boy in question is interviewed about the meeting.
– It was wonderful to meet his holiness, and I think it is a great experience to meet someone with so much positive energy. I think it was a great experience to meet him, and you get a lot of the positive energy, says the boy in the clip and adds:
– When you get that positive energy, I think you become happier and smile a lot more.
According to Radio Free Asiawho has also interviewed him, the boy’s name is Kiyan Kanodia.
Both interviews appear to have been done on the same day as the meeting.
Voice of Tibet has also interviewed what they write is the boy’s mother, Payal Kanodia.
Thanks for the blessing
She is one of the leaders of the M3M Foundation, which established the competence center iMpower Academy for Skills in Dharamsala last year – the center the 87-year-old leader visited.
According to Kanodia, a blessing from the Dalai Lama has been high on the wish list since the start.
Sharpen up, Dalai Lama!
– Today we got this opportunity while my whole family, as well as all the graduating students from the iMpower Academy for Skills were present, she says.
Nor does Kanodia seem to react negatively to the Dalai Lama’s behavior.
– We truly appreciate receiving the divine blessing from His Holiness. He appeared in person, and spoke about how important peace is for the world, and that we must stand together as brothers and sisters. I cannot express how it feels to have received his blessing. Thank you, she concludes.
Dalai Lama: – Europe belongs to the Europeans
Lay flat
On Monday, the Dalai Lama apologized for the incident on Twitter.
“A video clip that has been circulating shows a recent meeting where a young boy asks His Holiness the Dalai Lama if he can give him a hug. His Holiness will apologize to the boy and his family, as well as his many friends around the world, for the pain his words may have caused.”
“His sanctity often teases people he meets in an innocent and playful way, also in public and in front of cameras”
The Dalai Lama also said he regretted it.
