helen_4

=**Barkhor- 15/5/2007**=

I went to old Lhasa today, one of the oldest streets in traditional Tibet called Barkhor. I came because its such a rich, traditional city. All aspects of Tibetan life can be found here, from economy to culture, religion to arts. I'm so glad i came, i was expecting quite a low atmosphere since its such an old place. But it was just buzzing with excitement! I came back to my hotel with some ancient coins and lots of jewelery!

I have a lonely planet guide to Tibet, and inside it contains simple language to use with the native Tibetans, and really useful maps and points to remember. This is another reason i chose to visit Barkhor, it was listed in the lonely planet guide for being a tourist highlight.

I was greeted by shop owners with a smile and head nod, which i returned back to them. I feel such a high level of respect for one another in this town, i can easily tell they really value their customers. I used questions i found in lonely planet book to ask locals of directions. Hello is pronounced 'tah-shi de-leh'. Goodbye is 'kah-leh phe', and thankyou is 'Thu-chi che'. When i need directions, i say 'kyok-tsenanda', which is 'excuse me'. Please is 'ku-chee' and 'im sorry' is 'gong-dhaa'. I would use these phrases whilst pointing to a page on my book with a place i wanted to go. The book had tibetan translated as well, so they could read it and attempt to help me. When purchasing from a shop, i was fairly well practised with using tibetan money, so that didnt serve to be a problem. But they were really helpful, and very much wanted to serve you and help in any way possible.

This is what i copied off of an information board on the main street. I found it fascinating! If i didnt have such a tight schedule, I'd definitely come back again!

It has been said that in the seventh century Songtsen Gampo, the first Tibetan King (617 - 650) who unified Tibet, married Chinese Princess Wencheng and Nepal princess Tritsun. Later Princess Tritsun built Jokhang Temple to accommodate the twelve-year-old Jowo Sakyamuni, brought to Tibet by Princess Wencheng. Barkhor is the road which pilgrims tramped out around Jokhang Temple through centuries. Buddhist pilgrims walk or progress by body-lengths along the street clockwise every day into deep night. Most of Lhasa's floating population is comprised of these pilgrims. The pilgrims walk outside four columns on which colorful scripture streamers are hung, a custom which began in the Tubo period (633-877) as a way to show respect. To the west of the north street of Barkhor, in front of a juniper hearth, the annual ceremony to hail Maitreya (Buddha of the Future) is held. Tibetans pray before the hearth to expect fortune in the next year. A yamun, which used to be the office of a Lhasa magistrate, squats nearby. A small lane leads northward to a nearby market, the oldest market in Lhasa. The pantheon of the three story temple built during the Tubo period retains its Tubo architecture after many renovatioins. It was said that characters used in Tibetan writing were invented in the temple.

Barkhor, the sacred pilgrim path, is also a marketplace where shaggy nomads, traders, robed monks and chanting pilgrims join together. Clustered shops and stalls sell printed scriptures, cloth prayer flags and other religious vessels, jewelry, Tibetan knives, ancient coins and other Tibetan relics.