Today, July 6, is the Dalai Lama’s 91st birthday.Following the capture of Chamdo, the Dalai Lama’s eldest brother, Thubten Jigme Norbu, Taktser Rinpoche, arrived in Lhasa with a disturbing message. He had recently been appointed the abbot of Kumbum Monastery and experienced first-hand the various ways in which the Chinese were heavily suppressing Tibetan culture and the practice of Buddhism. He had been put under house arrest by the Chinese and was only released on the condition that he convinces his brother to support them. The continued harassment by the Chinese led Norbu to relinquish his post as abbot. In the summer of 1950, he left Kumbum for Lhasa, having tricked the local Chinese officials into thinking that he was willing to do their bidding. Upon arriving in Lhasa, Taktser Rinpoche quickly visited the Dalai Lama and revealed China’s dark plan: ‘Should the Dalai Lama resist the march of progress, they indicated that ways and means would be found to get rid of him. At this point, they made it clear that, if necessary, they would consider fratricide justifiable in the circumstances if there were no other way to advance the cause of communism.’ As soon as the Dalai Lama set eyes on Taktser Rinpoche, he realised that his brother had suffered greatly. He was in a terrible state, extremely tense and anxious.‘Eternal Light: The Life and Legacy of the 14th Dalai Lama’, Arvind Yadav, Westland Books, 2026.Taktser Rinpoche advised his brother to flee into exile immediately. On 7 November 1950, the Tibetan Cabinet sent an appeal to the United Nations. However, as Tibet had never sought to join the UN, the appeal was ignored, and nothing came of it. Meanwhile, in Lhasa, the government turned to oracles and high lamas for guidance. The oracles, interpreting the signs, advised the Cabinet to request that the Dalai Lama take full responsibility for the governance of Tibet. This request, made with great solemnity, was met with deep concern from the young Dalai Lama, who was only fifteen years old. He had not yet completed his religious education and was far from prepared to assume such a daunting responsibility. After consultations with the state oracles, the Regent resigned from his post, and it was decided that the Dalai Lama would take over his due role ahead of time. The date set was 17 November 1950. While traditionally, a Dalai Lama would take full control at the age of eighteen, the urgency of the situation could not be ignored. Tibet, fractured by internal divisions and struggling with a deteriorating administration, needed a leader who could unite the country in the face of a grave external threat. Despite his initial hesitation, the young Dalai Lama recognised that the country’s future depended on his leadership. With the National Assembly’s support, he reluctantly accepted the mantle of responsibility. On the morning of 17 November 1950 the Dalai Lama rose hours earlier than usual. At just fifteen years old, he was to formally assume both the spiritual and temporal leadership of Tibet. As part of the ceremony, the Dalai Lama was instructed to tie a piece of green cloth around his waist, a gesture guided by the astrologers, who deemed the colour auspicious for the occasion. The auspicious nature of the day was underscored by his decision to grant a general amnesty, declaring the release of all prisoners in Tibet. This act marked a significant shift, symbolizing a new era of governance under the young Dalai Lama. The official enthronement ceremony took place in the Glories of Samsara and Nirvana Hall within the Potala Palace. He was ceremoniously handed the Golden Dharma Wheel, an emblem of his temporal power. In his name, a general amnesty was declared, leading to the release of all prisoners. The prison at Shol, once a symbol of confinement and hardship, stood empty in the wake of the proclamation. In preparation for the ceremony, the Dalai Lama refrained from eating breakfast, anticipating that the ritual would be long and demanding. However, the astrologers had insisted that he consume an apple before the proceedings, a ritualistic requirement that he reluctantly followed. The fruit was not to his liking, and the Dalai Lama struggled to eat it, finding the tradition uncomfortable and unnecessary. Despite this, he adhered to the instructions, a reflection of the extent to which he trusted the astrologers’ guidance, even when their directives seemed burdensome.As the ceremony commenced at dawn, the atmosphere in the chapel was thick with formality. Dignitaries from across Tibet and foreign officials from distant lands were in attendance, all dressed in vibrant regalia. The lighting, however, was poor, and the Dalai Lama found himself surrounded by shadows.At just fifteen years old, the 14th Dalai Lama became the undisputed leader of six million people, facing the threat of a full-scale war. Excerpted with permission from Eternal Light: The Life and Legacy of the 14th Dalai Lama, by Arvind Yadav, Westland Books.Arvind Yadav is a senior journalist.