Page 215 - Udaan Trial Book

Jokhang: The Buddhist temple in the main Barkhor Square of Lhasa. The temple’s architecture is a
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mix of the Indian vihara design, Tibetan and Nepalese design established in the 7 century. It is the
holy abode of Sakyamuni.The Jokhang houses the statues brought by the two brides of Songsten
Gampo, Princess Wencheng of the Chinese Tang dynasty and princess Bhrikuti of Nepal. The oldest
part of the Jokhang was built in 652 CE and enlarged over the next 900 years. In 1049, Atisha, a
renowned teacher in Buddhism from Bengal taught in Jokhang. The usual practice is to prostrate
themselves in front of the temple and to circumambulate or the Kora of the Jokhang.

The Jokhang
Norbulingka: The summer palace of the Dalai Lama. Built from 1755 and was under construction for
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a very long time by the different Dalai Lamas, from the 7 to the 14 .It is a patch of greenery in
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Lhasa and an oxygen bar for the oxygen starved city. The great escape of the 14 Dalai Lama
happened from here in 1959 which finally brought him to Mc. Loedgunj, Dharamsala in India. One
interesting thing that one sees is a radio gifted by Pt.Jawahar Lal Nehru when the present Dalai Lama
visited New Delhi for a world Buddhist convention. He used to regularly tune into Radio Moscow.
All the ceramic fittings in the house are from India that were carried by local men over the rugged
mountain passes of the Himalayas.

The 14 Dalai Lama’s house in Norbulingka
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Sera Monastery: Sera means “Wild Roses Monastery “is one of the three important monasteries of
the Gelugpa sect of monks following the Mahayana tradition. It was founded in 1419 and is a major
seat of Buddhist studies. One can see thousands of ancient scriptures here.During the revolt of 1959; it
had suffered severe damage, with thousands of monks killed and colleges destroyed. Several monks
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escaped with the 14 Dalai Lama and settled in Bylakuppe in Mysore, Karnataka.The Sera Monastery
is renowned for its spiritual debates and I was fortunate enough to observe one such debate.I saw
about a hundred monks debating in pairs. One seated and one standing in front of his partner.The