Travel » Tibet Tourism

The Soul of Tibet
The heart and soul of Tibet, Lhasa is the abode of the Dalai Lama, an object of devout pilgrimage and the capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region. But anybody expecting an ancient city with monasteries, fluttering prayer flags and twirling prayer wheels has another thought coming. Lhasa has been transformed beyond recognition by the cultural onslaught of the Chinese. Modem Lhasa divides itself clearly into a western, Chinese section and an eastern, Tibetan section. The Chinese section nestles at the foot of the Potala Palace and extends a couple of kilometers eastward. It is an uninspired muddle of restaurants, karaoke bars, administrative blocks and department stores. The Tibetan part, based more or less around the ancient Jokhang Temple, is more ethnic with its bustling markets and old shops.

The Jokhang, a millennium old temple at the heart of the old part, occupies a special place in my heart. Tibetans from further a field seem to congregate here for a pilgrimage.

An entire cross section of the various tribes can be seen here in just a couple of hours. Be sure to be armed with a powerful telephoto lens to capture some very rare visages. Definitely a photographer’s delight, a more colorful and traditional place, the whole place begins to reverberate with a religious fervor that has to be experienced. Inside, the monks chant the scriptures, to the accompaniment of drums and horns, that alternatively rise and fall in their intensity. Outside, pilgrims prostrate themselves time and again as they hum their prayers. Others walk the Barkhor, a 3 km long circuit around the temple, twirling their prayer wheels as they pay obeisance to the deity inside. In all it was a moving experience that left a profound impact on me. Here’s proof that all the efforts of the Chinese to build a Brave New World have been dashed on the indomitable spirit of the Tibetan people. The bustling market place behind the temple only adds to the ethnic charm of the place.

The Potala, the official residence of the exiled Dalai Lama, is Lhasa’s cardinal landmark. It is a structure that deserves place as one of the wonders of eastern architecture. Overtly, this magnificent building occupies a prime place on the skyline of the city. But in my scheme of things at least, its a definite second when compared to the Jokhang with its tremendous atmosphere. Nevertheless it’s majestic and looks best from a distance. It can be viewed and photographed from various places around town-notably from the top of a hill nearby and from the island in the Lhasa river.

A day visit is a must and the conducted tour of the premises is a great experience. The bus takes you right to the top where the entrance is located. There are many unique temples inside and there are great views of the city from the roofs of the various buildings that comprise the palace. Descending on foot, using the winding pathways built on the facade of the structure, down to the inevitable curio market at the base, is a nice way to end the sojourn.

Now what? Having come all this way to the Roof of the World, where does one go from here? There are a few options. Take the flight back to Kathmandu on Day 8, tag along with one of the many backpackers who may have come in from China and are heading towards Kathmandu by road. On the way you can take in the Sakya Monastery or the trek to the Rongbuk Monastery on the approach to the Everest Base Camp. Alternatively, stay on in Lhasa for a few moredays, explore the other monasteries and high altitude lakes in and around Lhasa and then return to Kathmandu either by air or road. Finally, you can plump for mainland China, to begin another exciting and unforgettable saga of travel. How and Where
Getting to Tibet is easier said than done. For those intending to go from India, Kathmandu is the best gateway. You can fly into the capital of the Himalayan kingdom from various Indian cities. Take a day to wander around the by lanes of Thamel and also visit the travel agents who advertise the Tibet tours. The local Chinese embassy can process your visa in a day, if you are ready to pay the extra money. So if you arrive on a Wednesday, decide by the evening whom you are going to register with. You should be then able to start the journey on the same Saturday. The eight-day tour starts either on a Tuesday or a Saturday so that it ends at Lhasa on one of the same days. The twice weekly China Southwest Airlines flight from Lhasa operates on these days out of the spanking new Gonggar Airport, 90 km outside Lhasa. The price is US $190 (Rs 7,000) one way and this is not included in the tour fees. There is also the more expensive option of flying to Lhasa and back four days later. This way you miss the road journey and, of course, the great sights on the way.

To undertake the road journey, make sure that you have a valid passport and register yourself with any of the many Tibet tour operators that are be found all over Kathmandu.

Visas are organised by the tour agency at the local Chinese embassy. It appears to be a pretty closed affair run entirely by word of mouth between the various operators, both in Nepal and Tibet. You don’t get any receipt for your tour fees and neither are you asked to sign any papers. But then a journey to Tibet is supposed to be an adventure, isn’t it!

The best season is from April to October, apart from the months of July and August. The rains in Nepal during these months cause havoc and you could be delayed on the first day itself due to landslides. By September the rains should have washed the skies clean of any dust to give you fabulous views. The plane to Lhasa flies over some of the highest mountains in the world and I am told that on a particularly clear day, the view from the window is unsurpassable.

Lhasa even boasts of a Holiday Inn, complete with a Hard Yak Cafe. Budget travelers should definitely avoid this place and head straight for the Tibetan quarter where there are a few hotels and guest houses offering less expensive accommodation more suitable to the pocket. These cheaper hotels are a better bet if you want to pick up the lateston the travel grape vine.