Chagpo Ri (the iron mountain) is a hill in front of the Potala. Once
it was the site of a famous college of Tibetan medicine, destroyed
during the Cultural Revolution.
Now few small monasteries remain on its rocky slopes.
The Lingkhor, the longest
pilgrim circuit (kora) running around Lhasa, climbs
on the south face of the hill, among millions of
prayer flags waving in the wind.
This site in one of the most fascinating in Lhasa.
The mantra of the compassion OM MANI PADME HUM is painted everywhere
on the rocks.
Pilgrims circumambulating in the kora, turn the prayers
wheels aligned along the path.
The cliff overhanging the path is covered by more than 5000
paintings and carvings depicting
in gaudy colours the most important Tibetan deities.
Some carvings date from the 7th century.
Along the pilgrim path you are accompanied
by the tinkling sounds of hammers and
cisels. Engravers are copying sacred texts from the pages
of religious books to large flat red stones.
A young monk holds some stones engraved with prayers.
