Potala Palace
The Potala, built on Red Mountain (left), is named
after a mountain in southern India regarded as the seat of the
bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, the patron god of Tibet. The upper
Red Palace includes the living quarters and tombs of most of the
Dalai Lamas and many temples containing thousands of gilded
statues of Buddha, bodhisattvas, demons and gods. The Red Palace
is nestled on top of the White Palace, which once housed a
printing press, more temples, and the administrative offices of
the Tibetan government.
Red Mountain
was first used for a fortress by King Songtsen Gampo
(Srong-btsan), who lived 608-650. However, the Potala as it now
appears is largely the work of the Fifth Dalai Lama, known as the
Great Fifth, who reigned 1645-1693 (upper right). Construction
commenced in 1642 and continued throughout his life. The Great
Fifth moved his residence from the Ganden Palace at the Drepung Monastery to the Potala. Incredibly,
his death was kept secret by the regent for 14 years to permit
completion of the Potala. The regent asserted that the god-king
had gone into a prolonged meditation retreat. Subsequently, the
Seventh Dalai Lama constructed a summer palace at the
Norbulingka. After his time, the Potala served as an
administrative center and winter palace.
A steep walk takes us to the west end of the Potala, and
we enter at the level of the Red Palace (left). After visiting
the shrines, tombs of the Dalai Lamas, and audience chambers
inside the Red Palace, we ascend to the roof. Here, there are
golden roofs above each of the tombs of the previous incarnations
of the Dalai Lama (right).
We exit the Potala through the White Palace. We descend
the steep 'tri-range' wooden stairs into Deyang Shar courtyard
(below right). The center steps are roped off as they are
intended for the exclusive use of the Dalai Lama. They have a
sad, abandoned look compared with the worn adjoining steps. The
Deyang Shar courtyard had been used for performances and
religious ceremonies, which the Dalai Lama could observe from his
chambers at the top of the White Palace. On its east side are
another series of steep stone stairs with huge (2 m in diameter)
round drums hanging above them. Some of us stand on tiptoe and
gingerly strike one of the drums, yielding a muted deep boom. The
steep steps below the drums lead to the East Stairs, which
descend the southern face of the Potala to the city below.
The view from Red Mountain is spectacular with the
city of Lhasa stretching out below. The two white stupas that
marked the original Western Gate of the city, are dwarfed by a
hospital-green apartment building beside them (left). Chokpori
Hill, which used to house the Medical College, now sports a
Chinese radio tower. The Medical College was destroyed in the Tibetan Revolt of 1959, but the tower is
draped with prayer flags.
