Soggy Moose Travels : A day at Ganden Monastery at 14,000

Ganden Monastery

Before I start today events I need to back up and tell a bit more about the Potala Palace visit, some basic visit information I wish to share. First, most of the Palaces and Temples are controlled by the Government and it is they who collect the entry fees. The Monasteries etc, receive offerings from the Pilgrims who visit the site. These offerings are left at the various stations of the Temples. The Pilgrims can be seen carrying large thermos bottles, 2 liters and larger. These are full of yak butter fat which is offered by being placed in the large burning butter candles. These candles are more like a large bowl with 7 wicks. The pilgrims also travel the Kora, this is a clock wise circumnavigation of the Temple. Here prayer wheels are spun as they walk and some will prostrate themselves on the ground every so many steps.

Potala Palace is also the residence from which the current Dali Llama fled from to enter exile in 1959.

Some of the temples and monasteries were destroyed during the cultural revolution and have since been rebuilt. I can not help but believe the current Chinese Government has seen the value of the tourist dollar, and the value of the Chinese citizen tourist market.

I thoroughly relish the Bakhor Market. This is such a hub of the daily life. I believe we can learn so much about the day to day life of the local folks.

Peter’s evening briefing talk was about the ascent of Everest, the time planning and preparation and thoughts of reaching the summit. He was interviewed via satellite phone by his local newspaper when he reached the summit. In an hypoxic euphoria he answered the one question of what it was like to follow in his fathers footsteps. He thought “that question again”, and then answered, “I have looked all over and can not find any of his footprints anywhere”. Well played, well played.

We were up at at um at 0530, wow we slept in, had breakfast and then did our morning walkabout. This morning we found a local park. The local parks here in China have exercise equipment, very much like a fitness trail in the US, but these seem to have many more stations designed for stretching. We did our morning exercises and are getting things together for the day, making sure we have warmer clothes. Yet today the sun is shinning and nary a cloud in the sky.

Ganden Monastery

Tsongkhapa (the founder of the Gelugpa sect) selected Mt. Drokri as the site of a monastery that he named Ganden, meaning “Pure Land of Tushita.” Within a year, 70 buildings were constructed, but the main assembly hall was not completed until 1417. Ganden is one of the most spectacular sacred sites in Tibet as well as one of the most tragic. 1959 and 1966 this site fell victim to artillery fire and bombing. There was a riot in 2002 and the site was turned into a police and military post. This site site felt the hard hand of the Red Guard due to it’s religious and political significance. One must realize after the 4th Dali Llama the 5th Dali Llama be came both a religious and government entity. Though the original complex was destroyed, the reconstruction has yielded exquisite temples.

We boarded our bus and made a 1 hour drive to the Ganden Monastery at 14,000 feet. At the Monastery, some of us walked the Lower Kora which is about 3K. This route starts with a climb of a little over 100 feet and the the trail is basically flat with some up and down area. This provided us views of the valley and many spots where people have made areas of worship. Along the route we passed a Sky Burial site. A Sky Burial is where a persons remains are chopped up and offered to the vultures and thus one continues the circle of life. We were told it looked like the site was in the process of being prepared for a burial. Located next to this site was a cremation site and there were remains being cremated. It was a beautiful walk.

When we arrived back at the monastery it was about noon and the monks were gathering in the Assembly Hall for their noon gathering. Here they were chanting and being fed. The fee to take pictures was 20RMB or about $3 USD. It was very very dark inside the assembly hall.

After this visit we made our way back to our bus and drove to a local park where our lunch had been prepared. We had a dining tent and a great lunch laid out before us. This traveling kitchen will be following us through out our time in Tibet.

After lunch we returned to the hotel to clean up and do laundry before we gather for our 6:30 briefing. After dinner this evening we will be making an evening visit to the Potala Palace. Should be some good photo ops.