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Published: July 19th 2005
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I am in the heart of it all. But even i cannot romanticize Lhasa. In its day it must have been magic... and parts of it still are. But, as expected with 'development' and mass tourism, it is very changed from that romantic image. It extends for kilometres; kilometres of C buildings and new, expensive stores, car dealerships... and on the outskirts, more industrial buildings, a newish military base, and many, many tourists restaurants, hotels, 'traditional' T bars....
That said, yesterday was pretty cool. I went west, to the Drepung monastery which used to house over 10,000 monks and used to be the most powerful Gelukpa monasteries in T, and is debated to have been one of the (if not THE) largest monasteries in the world. As per the C, it was somewhat destroyed during the cultural revolution, as well as hugely downsized: currently there are only about 700 resident monks. Still, despite having been reduced to rubble in areas, other areas are very intact, and others have been reconstructed.
Walking around its expanse was awesome. I snuck up the back way (there are some hefty temple fees, which don't go to the temples at all, apparently, but to
monastery rock art
Many different Buddhist symbols are painted in brillliant colours on the rocks behind the monastery complex. There is a pilgrims walk that circuits the monastery and passes by these rock wonders. the pockets of officials... so why not avoid that altogether, EH?) and wandered around the ruins of buildings, overgrown with trees and shrubs (damn prickly ones at that!). There were large boulders painted with bright colours in T signs and in forms of Buddhist deities. Pilgrims wandered the trails higher in the hills, circling the entire area, some singing, most stopping to prostrate themselves at appropriate places.
Working my way down from the less-used temples, I was able to enter many smaller temple courtyards and climb the chipped old wooden ladders to rooftops. On one lower roof, a young monk found me and, instead of telling me to get lost as i had feared, he motioned me up two more levels, where a view of the entire area awaited. Mountains engulfed in low clouds, and ruins behind; temples left, right, and forward.
Later, as I stood admiring one lovely white temple, maroon bordered around the roof and shaggy with outer curtains around the many rectangular windows, an older monk hobbled past and into the door. He smiled that it was alright if i followed him, which i did, expecting to reach another rooftop. He struggled up two flights
solar tea or tv
a traveller tried to convince me that this set up was an improvised solar dish. In fact, it is a clever way for heating water and is found in towns as well as temple rooftops (which is where the satellite theory falls apart, unless HBO is broadcasting the DLs words). of ladders, admirably given his age and need for a cane. And at the top, instead of my roof, he brought me in for tea and crumpets. Well, not crumpets, but T fried bread.
Ah yes, the opportune time to use that Lhasa phrasebook which was useless in all other T areas, where the dialect can change from town to town! Now, at last, I could communicate. Or not. Most of my efforts were ineffectual, eliciting his shrug and "i don't know what you are trying to say" mumbles. But we both smiled. So i decided to show him some of the DL shots i had on my camera. He bowed reverently to each one, then pulled back his red curtain to show the wall display of DL portraits.
This complex dates back to 1416, founded by a disciple of one of T's great kings, Tsong Khapa. It is of the Gelukpa sect, one of Ttn Buddhism, the one dubbed the Yellow Hat sect because, not shockingly, of the yellow hats monks wear. Aside from its many colleges, it houses some mystical conch said to have been buried by the great Shakyamuni Buddha himself.
It was getting
bus mate
on the way back from a monastery
, the local bus (12 cents to get to town) picked up all sorts of local folks (amazingly). My seat-mate didn't mind posing, later tried to sell me her jewellery which i'd been praising, and waved a hearty goodbye when she got off. late when I left the monk's quarters, and many temple halls were locked. Yet, when one monk saw me loitering around one of the more impressive temples, he whistled to me to follow him. Into a poorly lit hallway and down a hatch... into one of the large meditation halls. These halls house various statues, depending on the temple and sect, but usually of the main important characters in Buddhism, as well as of the various Dalai and Panchen Lamas. They also have rows of low cushions, cushions wide enough for a cross-legged monk to chant and meditate on, side by side in long rows. Prayer flag circles (picture a sort of long circular, colourfully-layered, cloth kite) drape from the ceiling. And almost inevitably there is a statue of Shakyamuni Buddha or one of the great deities at the front centre. This particular temple had all of these, as well as some impressive Thankas (which are the painted or stitched wall-hangings depicting historical or religious scenes). I thought i was pretty lucky to have been spotted.
The most surprising aspect of the visit was simply how under-touristed the place was. It was delightful, of course, but surprising, for such a place of history and impressive architecture.
Today, day two of teaching high school Ts, has left me a little withered. They respond very well to textbook work, but run amuck when given activities or games. Sigh. Tonight will be the first night class with adult students, which might be more promising. These are the local workers and miners who have little education but a lot of motivation.
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Rob G
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Thanks
Eva. Your writings are inspirational. Keep enjoying and rediscovering our planet.