Tibet
Beyond the Himalayas lies a vast, arid plateau that has for centuries
been one of the world’s most mysterious lands - Tibet. The cradle
of a unique strand of Mahayana Buddhism, its harsh landscape is the
backdrop to a rich history and esoteric spiritual treasures. Now under
Chinese rule, Tibet has always been a land of transition between the
Chinese empires and the Indian subcontinent.
Buddhism first arrived here when the great king Srongtsen married
a Nepalese princess who, with the aid of his other Chinese wife, converted
him. These two queens are now revered in the Tibetan Buddhist pantheon
as the Green and White Taras. As the religion evolved it gave birth
to great traditions of monasticism and scholarship as well as a powerful
theocracy. Even now, the maroon-robed, shaven-headed monk is the quintessential
image of Tibet.
In parallel with the development of intriguing religious practices
Tibet produced a wealth of art, from monastery frescoes and thangkas
intricately encapsulating theological concepts to illuminated manuscripts
encompassing centuries of scholarship. And the wealth generated by trade
across the high mountain passes endowed monasteries and fantastic palaces
such as Lhasa’s Potala Palace which towers magisterially above
the capital city, reached by imposing staircases up the steep ridge
astride which it perches. This citadel of thirteen stories and 1,000
rooms is the ancient seat of the Dalai Lamas, spiritual leaders of the
country.
For much of its history a land forbidden to outsiders, Tibet retains
its aura of legendary mystery and natural grandeur. Lhasa itself means
‘Palace of the Gods’ and all the great buildings are connected
to the gods or their earthly interlocutors. The Jokhang Temple in Old
Lhasa contains sacred relics and historical artifacts such as the gold
Buddha statue brought as a wedding gift by Srongtsen’s Chinese
wife, Wen Ching. The Norbu Linkha, or Jewel Park, provided the Dalai
Lama and courtiers with a summer retreat amid fabulous parks, while
the fifteenth century Drepung Monastery, said to be the largest in the
world, houses over 10,000 monks.
Outside of Lhasa the main towns of Gyantse and Shigatse are relatively
untouched by modernity and starting points for explorations of the desert-like
plains and mountains of Tibet. Gyantse, a trading town on the trans-Himalayan
route, was famed for its carpets while the walled city guarded by a
hilltop fortress contained no fewer than nineteen monasteries.
Yet many Tibetans still remain nomadic and the cities alone will not
give you an insight into their lifestyle. Herding yaks across the barren
plains, theirs is a tough life in inhospitable conditions. But if you
get the chance to share a cup of salt and yak-butter tea thickened with
parched barley tsampa flour you will soon realize that Tibetans are
a resilient, cheerful and welcoming people. Most families have at least
one member in monastic life and religious rituals are observed by all,
be it tuning a prayer wheel while trudging across the windy steppes
or making special pilgrimages to important stupas.
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