Tuesday, September 4, 2018

Sakya and Sakya Monastery



Sakya is a small town west of Shigatse. It has been founded in 1073 and is the seat of the Sakyapa (or the sect of Sakya). It looks different if compared to other Tibetan monasteries and dzongs; its architecture is Mongolian. Sakya and some other small settlements paint the buildings dark grey and have two vertical stripes in white and red.
The great library has survived the Cultural Revolution. Some part had been concealed, but any search would have revealed the books at once. However, some parts were destroyed, but much survived the chaos of this period.
In the temple there’s also a conch shell, which had been a present by Emperor Kublai Khan.
20 years ago I was surprised seeing horses being tied in front of a shop like in a Western movie. This changed. Still in bad weather the fortress looks somber.





A guardian deity



Where the monks sit, meditate, chant, pray, read, 
and of course drink butter tea 
 


Yes, it has been very dark -
and no, they didn't play Hello darkness my old friend


A photograph in a restaurant showing two monks 
blowing the Tibetan horns 






 


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