Jokhang Temple
The next day the first thing on the list to see was the Jokhang temple. We arrived quite early and found there where 1000’s of pilgrims outside the temple that had all come in from one of the provinces as they always do at this time of year. They where saying prayers on prayer mats in front of it and circumambulating with prayer wheels and many stopped to give me a polite Tashi Delek and to stare at my crazy hat. The looks on the faces of some of the elderly Tibetans was priceless. Many stuck out their tongues (a high sign of respect in Tibet) Our guide spoke to the guards for a while and we where finally allowed in. As soon as we stepped inside the feeling of mystery and power was immense. It felt like little had changed inside for a thousand years, aside from perhaps electric lights which had been installed. Of course more had changed but the feeling had maybe become more strong. The doors wood intricately painted and with brass handles the size of salad bowls. Each handle had plaited colored cloth so you could pull them more easily. Inside the myth goes that the temple was built over a lake for a Nepali Princess who had married a Tibetan who’s status and name I cant remember. At first they tried to build it but could not. Then a princess from the Chinese mainland who apparently was very good at calculations calculated that if the ring of the Nepali princess was thrown into the lake a white stupa would rise up then the palace/temple could be built. The ring was thrown in the stupa rose up ( you can now see it in a glass case inside). Inside the main temple Monks in red robes rubbed royal gold yak butter into the huge pots each with perhaps a dozen candle wicks inside. One of monks shoveled yak butter out of an enormous steel trunk. The feeling of power inside of this main temple was immense. Especially in front of the statue of the God of compassion. There where two old old wooden pillars that had been rubbed to a smooth surface that could not be achieved with machines. Only human hands can create such a surface. We left kata at this place for good luck. It is very difficult to describe the feeling of the place, such devotion from people even outside the gates who are not allowed in. At the end we went up to the roof for fantastic views! Our guide also explained the orientation of the temple. It faces the way it does because the main gate faces Nepal.
