Before the Chinese occupation Drepung was the largest monastery
of the world, with more than 10000 monks.
As Sera, it was founded in the 15th century by the Gelugpa sect.
It is a real small town located on a mountain slope in the outskirts
of Lhasa, among rounded granitic rocks. The
suburbs of the town now extend up to the foot of the Drepung hill,
a dreary panorama to enjoy from the roofs of the monastery...
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Drepung consists of many buildings: temples, schools and residences
for monks connected by small steep streets and stairs.
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Pilgrims visit every day the monastery,
coming from all the regions of Tibet. Here a group
rests at the entrance of one of the main temples.
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Around the complex runs a long kora, a charming
prayer circuit that climbs
in a small quiet valley behind the monastery, among painted rocks,
clusters of trees (so rare in Tibet!) and thousands of prayer flags.
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Along the kora devouts pray, incessantly
turning their prayer wheels to diffuse in the air the mantras
printed on the roll of paper inside the cylinder.
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