Thousands of devotees flocked to the Himalayan town of Dharamshala, India, on Sunday to celebrate the Dalai Lama's 90th birthday, the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism who has been living in exile since escaping Chinese authority in Tibet in 1959.

The Dalai Lama, the exiled spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, turned 90 on Sunday. About 7,000 people including monks and his followers gathered at a temple in the northern Indian town of Dharamshala to celebrate the occasion.

The Dalai Lama has turned 90, surrounded by thousands of followers who came to the Himalayan town of Dharamshala. T he spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism has been living in exile there since fleeing Chinese rule in 1959.