Dal, Chapati, Dosa and Nalanda: Why Dalai Lama says he's mentally and physically a son of India

Tibetan spiritual leader his holiness the Dalai Lama on Thursday gave a quite holistic and interesting answer as to why he believes that he's physically and mentally a son of India, during an interaction in Mumbai.

The 83-year old was in speaking at the 'Silver Lecture Series' function at the Guru Nanak College of Arts, Science and Commerce in Mumbai, where he revealed what he answers when American and Chinese reporters ask him why he believes that he is a son of India:

"Media from China and America asked what makes me a son of India. I answered that my brain is filled with thoughts of Nalanda & this physical body survived on India’s dal chapati & dosa. So both physically & mentally I’m from this country, that’s how I’m a son of India."

As with all things to do with the Dalai Lama, the answer assumes a wider significance once you consider his historical, spiritual and geopolitical background. His reference to Nalanda, the ancient seat of learning and particularly Buddhist learning, is in relation to his long-held belief that modern India needs to revive what he calls the 'Nalanda tradition', juxtaposing ancient knowledge with modern learnings -- something he has earlier said that only India can do.

His other reference, to Indian food, is also equally significant given the circumstances of how he came to settle in the country, having fled from Tibet during the 1959 uprising and crossing over into India at Tezpur. He since set up a government in exile at Dharamshala, with thousands of exiles coming to settle there over the subsequent decades.

He said that according to Tibetan religion, all human beings are created by God. "Today, we have created a lot of problems on our own including greed and exploitation," he added.

The 83-year-old also asserted that everyone's rights and desires should be respected. The Tibetan spiritual leader, who is on a three-day visit to the city, is expected to address students on December 14 during the 22nd TechFest 2018 at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay. 

(With ANI inputs)