Dalai Lama leaves hospital with a smile, wave

Monday, September 01, 2008

MUMBAI, Sept 1 (Reuters) - The Dalai Lama left hospital in Mumbai on Monday morning after being treated for abdominal pain, smiling and waving to waiting photographers.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama leaves Lilavati hospital in Mumbai, on Monday morning, 1 September 2008, smiling and waving to waiting photographers. REUTERS/Punit Paranjpe (INDIA)

The exiled Tibetan spiritual leader put his hands together in a traditional greeting before getting into a white Ambassador car and being driven away to a hotel, accompanied by police vehicles.

"He is feeling good and he will be resting for the next few days," his aide Chhime Chhoekyapa told Reuters, adding the Dalai Lama would stay in Mumbai for a while.

The Dalai Lama was admitted to hospital last week after complaining of "fatigue" and cancelling two foreign trips.

After he was admitted, doctors said he had abdominal discomfort but there was no cause for concern.

He took part in a fast for peace on Saturday from his hospital bed, aides said, along with thousands of Tibetans in other parts of India.

The Nobel Peace Prize winner had recently returned from an 11-day visit to France. The visit focused mainly on lectures on Buddhism, but during it he also criticised Chinese policies in Tibet. (Reporting by Arko Datta and Nishika Patel; Editing by Simon Denyer)