Tens of thousands of followers poured into the town of Tawang in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh to hear an address by the Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, according to media reports.

Dalai Lama, who is currently on a week-long tour of Arunachal Pradesh, on Sunday said: "My visit to Tawang is non-political and aimed at promoting universal brotherhood and nothing else”.

People packed an open-air polo ground to hear the Dalai Lama's address.

"It made us very happy to catch a glimpse of him. Nobody is more important to us than him. The Dalai Lama is our god," Karmayacha, who travelled 20 miles to attend the meeting, told the Associated Press news agency.

Meanwhile, Beijing has accused the Dalai Lama of trying to undermine its rule in Tibet and has said the visit is anti-China.

China also strongly accused India of ignoring its concerns.

The Dalai Lama however insists his visit is a spiritual lecture tour.