Dalai Lama's b'day under tree that grew from his walking stick

GUWAHATI: A stick pressed into stone, then left behind. Sixty-five years later, it stands fruit-bearing and tall - a tree grown from the staff of a fleeing monk. At Zemithang in Arunachal Pradesh's Tawang district bordering China, lamas, villagers, and dignitaries gathered Sunday beneath the Gurusheng tree as prayers rose for the Tibetan spiritual leader 's long life on his 90th birthday.

This was the very spot where the 14th Dalai Lama first rested after escaping from Tibet in 1959. Locals said the walking stick he used, placed on a stone before he moved on, took root - giving rise to what is now considered a holy tree.

"He placed it on a rock. The Monpas (local community) saw it sprout. Today, it bears fruit," said Lama Kalzang Lhundrub, secretary of Gorzam Stupa Culture Centre. "The tree is a blessing. It's growing out of stone." The Dalai Lama had stayed the second night at Gorzam Stupa after entering India.

He crossed into India on March 31, 1959, through Zemithang. Security forces received him at Survashamba, 2km from Kinzamani. The wooden staff, later called the Gurusheng tree, was with him.

Now a spiritual landmark, the Gurusheng tree drew more than 18,000 tourists last year. "It's the biggest attraction in Zemithang. Prayers under it are believed to be wish- fulfilling," said circle officer Deewan Mara.