Thousands of Russian Buddhists have journeyed through snow and rain to see the Dalai Lama, who is visiting the remote southern republic of Kalmykia.
The exiled Tibetan leader led prayers and blessed pilgrims at the Khurul monastery near the capital, Elista.
The Dalai Lama has not visited Russia for over a decade amid concerns in Moscow over relations with China.
China, which sees the Dalai Lama as a Tibetan separatist, criticised Russia for allowing the visit to go ahead.
Ignoring freezing temperatures and driving snow, crowds flocked to the monastery to hear the Dalai Lama. "We prayed and prayed that he would come," said pilgrim Galina Makrushina, 48. "Today our prayers have come true. It is a huge joy," the AFP news agency reported.
The exiled Tibetan leader led prayers and blessed pilgrims at the Khurul monastery near the capital, Elista.
The Dalai Lama has not visited Russia for over a decade amid concerns in Moscow over relations with China.
China, which sees the Dalai Lama as a Tibetan separatist, criticised Russia for allowing the visit to go ahead.
Ignoring freezing temperatures and driving snow, crowds flocked to the monastery to hear the Dalai Lama. "We prayed and prayed that he would come," said pilgrim Galina Makrushina, 48. "Today our prayers have come true. It is a huge joy," the AFP news agency reported.
Chinese frustration
The Dalai Lama, who went into exile as a boy in 1959, wore his traditional maroon Buddhist robes, showing bare arms despite the bitter cold.
"I am glad that I was once again able to come to Kalmykia," he said.
"Kalmykia is a republic that practices Tibet's branch of Buddhism. Your people and Tibet are tied by many generations," he added.
China swiftly criticised the Dalai Lama's public appearance in Kalmykia.
"The Dalai Lama is a political exile who engages in activities splitting China under a religious cloak," a government spokesman in Beijing said.
"We express that we can't understand why Russia would allow the Dalai Lama to visit the Kalmykia republic," Zhang Qiyue said.
Russia only granted a visa for the Dalai Lama on Friday, and has not allowed him to enter Russian territory since 1996, when he passed through Russia on his way to Mongolia.
Russia has stressed that it regards Tibet as an inalienable part of China and that the Dalai Lama's visit is purely religious in nature.
The Dalai Lama, who went into exile as a boy in 1959, wore his traditional maroon Buddhist robes, showing bare arms despite the bitter cold.
"I am glad that I was once again able to come to Kalmykia," he said.
"Kalmykia is a republic that practices Tibet's branch of Buddhism. Your people and Tibet are tied by many generations," he added.
China swiftly criticised the Dalai Lama's public appearance in Kalmykia.
"The Dalai Lama is a political exile who engages in activities splitting China under a religious cloak," a government spokesman in Beijing said.
"We express that we can't understand why Russia would allow the Dalai Lama to visit the Kalmykia republic," Zhang Qiyue said.
Russia only granted a visa for the Dalai Lama on Friday, and has not allowed him to enter Russian territory since 1996, when he passed through Russia on his way to Mongolia.
Russia has stressed that it regards Tibet as an inalienable part of China and that the Dalai Lama's visit is purely religious in nature.
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Published: 2004/11/30 13:00:43 GMT © BBC MMIV
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