Tibet

Tibet is harsh and primordial. Guarded by high passes and blessed by wispy prayer flags, it is often painted as a Shangri – La of cliff-hanging monasteries and a culture locked in eternal mysticism. A century ago, a visit to Tibet took stamina, nerve and a good deal of luck. solated by formidable geographic barriers and guarded by its government, Lhasa, its capital was truly a forbidden city.
Few Westerners met the challenge, but the tales they returned with tantalised the imagination of the world. Tibet was the epitome of all that was magical, mysterious and unknown.

LHASA
For most travellers, Tibet is Lhasa. This ancient capita, lying up in the wild of the Kyi Chu river valley (3,600 m), is Tibet’s sacred city. Lhasa’s evolution into the spiritual and temporal centre of the Buddhist Kingdom was set off by King Srongtsen Gyampo, when in the 7th century he built its principal temple, the Jokhang, and also laid the foundations of other ancient edifices, including the original Potala Pabonka, Dragla Lugug, and other hallowed pilgrim sites venerated to this day.

While the outskirts of Lhasa are crowed with sprawling modern concrete buildings, the core of the old town remains practically untouched. Peaceful streets are lined by traditional whitewashed houses and filled with Tibetans dressed in the distinctive costumes of many regions: swaggering Khampa men, wide eyed nomad families in sheepskins, apple cheeked amdo girls, their 108 braids adorned with huge lumps of turquoise, coral and amber.

POTALA PALACE
This architectural wonder of the world is built on the escarpments of Red Hill and rises more than 300 meters above the valley floor. A thirteen story building containing 1,100 rooms citadel, primary to Buddhism. This is the home of the Dalai Lama and before the Chinese occupation was the center of political and religious power for the Dalai Lama. It was built between 1645 and 1693. Today Potala Palace is a state museum.

JOKHANG TEMPLE
Jokhang temple has the oldest, the most precious statue in Tibet. The statue of Buddha Shakyamuni called “JO” brought from Changan about 1300 years ago, considered extremely holy. It is the spiritual center of Tibet, a destination for millions of Tibetan pilgrims.The oldest part of the temples built by King Songtsen Gompo to house the statues of the Buddha that his two foreign wives brought to Tibet from China and Nepal.

BHARKHOR
Barkhor is the path followed by pilgrims to circumambulate around the Jokhang – a half-mile sacred path around the temple. This circuit is lined with markets, shops, stalls and street vendors.