Power Places of Central Tibet : The Pilgrims Guide

Contents Preface. Introduction. Notes on pronunciation and Tibetan names. Note on cartography. Glossary of geographical terms. 1. The holy city of Lhasa. 2. The caves of Drak Yerpa. 3. North of Lhasa to Reteng. 4. To Ganden and beyond. 5. The Drigung Mandala. 6. Tolung The Karmapa's Domain. 7. The highway from Lhasa to Chaksam Bridge. 8. Below Lhasa to Simpo Ri. 9. The South Bank of the Tsangpo. 10. The Upper Dranang and Drachi Valleys. 11. Yarlung The Heart of Tibet. 12. Chongye and the Royal Tombs. 13. Dorje Drak and the Caves of Drakyul. 14. Samye Chokor. 15. The Valley of Yon. 16. Sangri and the Woka Valley. 17. Dakpo and Lhamo Latso. 18. Across Tsang to the Nepal Border. Appendices. Tibet is now open to anyone wishing to explore its ancient culture. This book based on a nineteenth century guide for Tibetan pilgrims by the renowned Lama Jamyang Kyentse Wangpo describes the location site relics and background to places of major religious and historic significance. To compile the guide the author followed in Jamyang Kyentse's footsteps visiting 150 temples monasteries sacred caves lakes and mountains. Some of these are easily accessible to tourist groups others have to be reached on foot certain valleys written about here had never previously been visited by a foreigner. There is full information about Lhasa and the route west from Lhasa to the Nepal border both popular destinations for the tourist and descriptions of seventeen pilgrimages within a 150 km radius of Lhasa. Photographs maps and drawings help the visitor to locate and identify what is to be seen. The Pilgrim's Guide will inform the tourist in his organized perambulation of major monasteries provide geographical and historical information for the specialist supply the trekker with route maps and destinations and also give the armchair traveller and student of Tibetan Buddhism the first detailed guide to Central Tibet ever published. It will be an invaluable companion to the package tourist and pilgrim trekker alike. 346 pp.…