The Dalai Lama, who wound up his three-day visit here by leading prayers at the newly opened Tibetan cultural centre, doesn't rule out a female successor.

The purpose of the Dalal Lama's reincarnation is to serve the Buddha, the 14th Dalai Lama told a week-end audience of more than 15,000 at the city' Rogers Centre.

"If a female reincarnation is more useful - why not?" he retorted when asked if the next Dalai Lama could be a female.