The Sera Monastery & The Patola Palace

Today we visited the Sera Monastery in the morning and had an indoor visit of the Patola Palace in the afternoon. The Sera Monastery is the second biggest monastery in Tibet, encompassing an assembly hall where the monks debate, 3 colleges and 33 houses. It enshrines tens of thousands of gold and bronze Buddha statues cast in different periods in Tibet and from China. It collects a large number of scriptures, instruments, exquisite thanks, embroidery, murals, and other precious treasures. We were able to walk through the majestic Tsochin Hall which can accommodate up to 5000 monks chanting sue traps at the same time, with four floors. We also visited the famous Dharma Protectors Hall, which houses the Hayagriva Statue. Hayagriva is the patron saint of young people and children. He has powerful mana and can exorcise evil spirits. Locals stick their heads into a small shrine and and touch the base of the statue with their heads. We did it too! Hayagriva is also known as the horse-headed God.

The stunning Potala Pace, known as the Tibetan cultural treasure house, is thirteen stories high (over 500 somewhat steep steps to climb up) and mainly consists of living quarters, chapels, tomb stupa chapels, and monk dormitories. There are two main sections of the palace, The Red Palaces, constructed in the 7th century, and the White Palaces, constructed in the 17th century, starting with the 5th Dalai Lama and becoming the residence of the successive Dalai Lamas until the time of the 13th Dalai Lama, In 1923. It is here that the Dalai Lamas would meditate, handle affairs of state, and eventually where their burial stupas remain. Potala Palace was incredibly beautiful both on the outside, and the inside is filled with golden statues, three dimensional mandalas, and the ancient scriptures. Devoted pilgrims circle the palace day and night. It is a truly remarkable place and is the highest palace in the world. Regretfully, no photos of the inside were allowed.Read more