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Places To See In Tibet |
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Lhasa
The capital of Tibet, at an altitude of 3650m,
is situated on the north of bank of Kyichu
River, a tributary of the Yarlung Tsangpo river.
Lhasa in Tibetan means " Place of the Gods" and
Potala Palace, the Residence of Dalai Lama ( The
God King), is the earthly representation of the
celestial Palace of Avaloketeswora, The Buddha
of infinite compassion whose ncarnation in the
human form is believed to be the Dalai Lama. It
is a city truly blessed by the gods where |
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life is unburied. |
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Tsedang
Tsedang (Zetang) is the birthplace of earliest
Tibetans and the political and economical centre
of Shangnan prefecture. It sits on the south
bank in the middle section of the Yarlung
Tsangbo River with a moderate climate at an
altitude of 3,600 meters.
The nearby Yarlung River scenic area is a
national scenic park with Samye Monastery, Yumbu
Lhakang Palace, burial site for Tsampos and
Traduk Monastery spotting the region. It is
located between two mountain ranges at the
northern side of Himalayas, to the south of
Nyanchen Tanggula mountains, just by the Yalong
zangbu river, with land area over 800,000 square
kilometers. The Yalong river flows from the
south through the area and empty itself into
Yalong zangbu river, hence the Yalong river
formed a huge river delta at its end when it
merges into another. |
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Gyantse
Is a pastoral town between Lhasa and Shigatse.
It is 264km South west of Lhasa. It still
retains the charm of a traditional Tibetan town
untouched by modern expansion. It made world
headlines in 1904 when colonel Young Husband,
who led a British expedition to Tibet, defeated
the Tibetan army there. As a crossroads on the
principle trade route to India, it used to be
renowned for the excellence of the carpets. The
compound, encircled by an impressive wall, once
contained 19 monasteries, presided over by the
still intact fortress Perched a top a nearby
mountain. |
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Shigatse
Shigatse, also Xigatse, means "fertile land" and
stands at the junction of the Yarlong Tsangpo
and Nyangchu River. It used to be the capital of
Tsang and now is the capital of Shigatse
prefecture. The 600 year old city is the
traditional seat of the Panchen Lama, who is one
of the two prestigious spiritual leaders in
Tibet and the abbot of the Tashilhunpo
Monastery. About 300 km from Lhasa, it is an
important stop between Lhasa and west Tibet
where pilgrims and tourists often wander.
Shigatse has a population of over 80,000, of
which 97% are Tibetan. It is the second largest
city within Tibet has undergone large scale
development. Most tourist facilities stand along
Jiefang Dong Lu, Beijing Bei Lu, Zhufeng Lu and
Shandong Lu. West of the market and below the
Dzong is the old Tibetan quarter where many
people like to visit.
Shigatse, the second biggest city in Tibet is
situated at the altitude of 12,600 ft. It is the
famous city for its great Tashilhunpo Monastery
- the seat of the Panchen Lama, who is regarded
as the reincarnation of the Buddha of Endless
Enlightenment. Items of interest inside this
monastery built in 1447 by the First Dalai Lama
are: the relics of Sakyamuni, the Hall of
Maitreya, and a incredible collection of thanks,
frescoes and statues. There is also a dynamic
'free' market where one can buy local handicraft
embedded with coral and turquoise, Tibetan
Daggers, Chinese pottery and yak butter. Since
it is the second biggest city of Tibet, it is
the center for transportation and distribution
of agriculture and other products. |
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Tingiri
Mount Qomolangma, also known as Mt. Everest,
meaning Mother Goddess of the Universe in
Tibetan, is the highest peak in the world.
Standing at 8848 meters (29028 feet), snow
capped throughout the year, she lies at the
border between China and Nepal. The North Col of
Everest is located in Tinggri (Shegar). Massive
glaciers and seracs feature a thrilling
splendor. The peak has been a holy climbing
attraction for world's mountaineers. In recent
years, more and more mountaineers start from the
Everest Base Camp trying to conquer the world's
highest peak while tourists trek to the foot of
the peak to enjoy its beauty.
Starting 30 kilometers (20 miles) south from New
Tinggri, one will reach a checkpoint. 11
kilometers (7miles) west of the checkpoint, a
new road and an old one turn off south to
Everest Base Camp. A 78-kilometer (48-mile) trek
leads to Rongbuk Monastery, which is the highest
monastery on the earth. Its altitude is 5,100
meters (16728 feet). The monastery was founded
in 1899, as a Nyingmapa monastery, it was said
that once Padmasambhava, founder of Nyingmapa,
proceeded his religious cultivation here. The
monastery, having 8 sub-monasteries including a
nunnery, was destroyed in the Cultural
Revolution, is gradually being restored. It
houses Lamas and nuns in the same monastery.
Sakyamuni and Padmasambhava are enshrined in the
small temple. Pilgrims treks a long way to pay
votive offerings or see lamas playing operas
during big Buddhist days.
Rongbuk has a hostel having 100 beds. A dinning
room and a store, where tourists and
mountaineers could cook and beer are also
available. 300 meters (980 feet) south of the
monastery is the famous Rongbuk Glacier. A
distance of 10 kilometers (6 miles) lies between
the monastery and Everest Base Camp. |
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