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On top of the world
From its rugged terrain, to historical monasteries and nomadic
people, Renuka Sadanandan takes us on a journey of discovery of Tibet
Walk slowly, take it easy, stay calm, we were warned as we prepared for Destination Tibet. Altitude sickness can hit even the young and healthy, it seems. But even the knowledge that we were venturing into the unknown couldn't dampen our enthusiasm as we boarded the four-hour flight from Beijing to Tibet. Tibet, the roof of the world, the mystical Shangri-la, the home of the Dalai Lama.

There were no glimpses of Tibet's famed mountains, for our descent, disappointingly was through masses of cloud. Then suddenly, we were through and surrounded by a rugged range, green, brown and velvety blue in the distance as we landed at Gonggar airport, Lhasa.

Even for travellers from a tropical land, accustomed to sunshine and blue skies, the brightness is hard to take in. Brilliant blue skies and scorching sunshine, crisp, thin air greeted us as we stepped out of the aircraft. An hour and a half later, after driving past the surging Lhasa river and ever-present mountain backdrops, we were in the capital of Tibet, Lhasa, some 96 km away.

Known as one of the highest and cleanest cities in the world, located 13, 000 feet above sea level, Lhasa means "The Land of the Gods", or "Holy Place" in Tibetan. It was founded in 633 A.D. by King Songtsan Gampo, whose statue can be seen in the many monasteries in the city.

It has been all of 50 years since China occupied Tibet but this region of 2.6 million people is still distinctly different from other cities in China, not just in its starkly beautiful landscape but more so because of its people. The Tibetans comprise several different ethnic groups and with their high cheekbones, weather-beaten skin and colourful costumes, the women with their striped aprons and traditional bead jewellery, they present a vivid picture of ethnic diversity.

Lhasa today, is a developing city. The streets are straight and orderly, well paved and tree-lined with broad pavements. State buildings are instantly recognizable from their formal air with the ubiquitous Chinese soldiers in their pale green fatigues standing stiffly at the entrance. Yet even smaller buildings have a uniform look.

Billiard tables are a common sight on the pavements, carefully covered up as night falls. Different areas of the city are conveniently dedicated to different trades-car spare part shops occupy one street, curtaining décor another and household fittings yet another.

But it is in the monasteries that you get the real feel of the region, of the historic Tibetan Buddhism that so colours the social and cultural life of the people. In the ever-turning prayer wheels, in the lines of Tibetans walking solemnly past you, clutching their bead chains, in the fervent pilgrims prostrating themselves in worship, the strength of their faith is evident.

The majority of Tibet's population are farmers and nomadic herdsman, the former living in flat-roofed stone houses with walled courtyards. By and large, despite the invasion of TVs, radios and mobile phones, their lifestyles seem difficult. Sanitation is poor and on a mountain journey having to answer a call of nature really means having to return to nature itself. On the rough mountain roads, driving past neatly harvested fields of wheat and barley, we saw shaggy yak, goats, sheep and donkeys grazing on rocky pasturelands.

The Chinese government is, according to officials of the Tibet Autonomous Region, on a major drive to usher in an era of economic development. Under the 10th Five Year Plan for Tibet, from 2001 to 2005, some 70 billion yuan will be channelled to the region. In 1950, only five percent of children attended primary school while now the figure is 88 percent, an official said. Education is largely subsidized for the children of farmers and herdsmen as is health care, unlike in other regions of China.

Every journey to Lhasa, has to include a visit to the Potala Palace, that formidable fortress perched on a craggy outcrop overlooking the city. Be prepared to climb thousands of steps, first a long uphill trek to reach the entrance to the Red Palace, where along the way your gasps are relieved only by the grandeur of the view. The Dalai Lama's winter abode, the Potala Palace was once the Tibetan seat of government and a school for monks.

First built in the 7th century by King Songtsan Gampo who according to legend wanted it sited on a red hill, the name Potala means 'mythical mountain'. It was added on to by the fifth Dalai Lama between the 1640s to 1690s, who was responsible for the present day Red and White Palaces. Unlike other monasteries and sacred sites, the Potala escaped relatively unscathed in the Chinese takeover of Tibet and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994.

A treasure trove of ancient statues, all ornately embellished with gold and gems, the Potala Palace literally takes your breath away. Visitors are led from one magnificent hall to another, through dimly- lit corridors and up steep stairways, constantly awed by its ancient heritage.

The tombs of several Dalai Lamas, including the famed fifth whose impressive tomb is 12.6 metres tall, gilded with 3,721 kg of gold and over 15,000 pearls and gems and the statues of the Avalokiteshwara and the Buddha Maitriya are among the many attractions.

Potala Palace is all of 13 floors and some 130,000 sq. metres in extent. To take in the beauty of all its audience halls and frescoes, absorb all its religious atmosphere though, one needs many days, much more than our afternoon visit. The Potala would undoubtedly be the first stop on any tourist's itinerary.

And there is no shortage of visitors to Tibet though officials are still wary of opening up too soon, citing a lack of infrastructure. Last year, some 800,000 people visited the region. Lhasa has just three or four four-star and three-star hotels, and facilities are adequate rather than luxurious.

Climatic conditions also make travel to Tibet only possible during the milder months between March and November for when winter sets in, temperatures can drop to minus 40.

Individual travel to Tibet is prohibited and visitors still have to go in a group after having obtained a special permit from the authorities. Any changes in the offing? "We have invited the best tourism planner in China to draw up a master plan for tourism growth," the Vice Chairman of the Tibet Autonomous Region told our group of journalists who visited Tibet.

The Tibet-Qinghai Railway which will allow visitors to travel by rail over a spectacular mountain route is set to be completed by 2007. Meanwhile, a handful of western tourists and Thai travellers can be seen in Tibet in the busy Barkhor market square, a vibrantly colourful bazaar where you can pick up anything from prayer wheels to jewellery, clothes, scarves, hats, daggers and watches. Bargaining is a must and if language is a barrier, the stall holder will quickly whip out a calculator to solve any fuss over figures.

Barkhor is the gateway to the famous Jokhang monastery, another 'must-see’place in Lhasa. Though lacking the scale of Potala from the outside, it is one of Lhasa's holiest and most ancient sites, having been built in the 7th century. Jokhang is home to the famous statue of Sakyamuni which is believed to have been brought to Tibet by the Tang dynasty princess Wengchen.

Within the temple, there are intricate murals of legendary figures and Buddhist stories at every turn and the hundreds of pilgrims circumnavigating the temple, are ample testimony that the Buddhist faith is strong within their hearts. As they continue in their circumambulation of the temple, they drop yak butter into huge urns where the flickering flames of a myriad candles burn continuously. So what then of the vexed issue of the Dalai Lama?

The Deputy Chief of Tibet would only venture that His Holiness is welcome to return at any time and that certain members of his family have already done so. Other officials said privately that they felt he was a good man but was being used by the West for their own purposes. However, even keeping a picture of the Dalai Lama in one's home could lead you into trouble with the authorities, said one resident of Lhasa.

Five days are perhaps, inadequate to get to know Tibet, for while you yearn to rush out and comb the streets, exploring every hilltop and visiting every monastery, there is that small matter of altitude sickness to contend with.

Strike our group it did, in varying degrees, causing headaches, nausea, shortness of breath, insomnia and loss of appetite at different times. Oxygen canisters in the hotel provided temporary relief for some, and though one of our group had a traumatic experience which saw him spending two days in the Lhasa Research Hospital for Mountain Sickness, he recovered fast thanks to dedicated care from an excellent team of doctors.

It may not be for the faint-hearted but travel to Tibet is an unforgettable experience, a true journey of discovery. Next week: The Potala Palace

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