Lhasa - Tibet - page 98

In front of the entrance to the Jokhang is a forecourt that is perpetually crowded with pil-
grims polishing the flagstones with their prostrations.
Just inside the entrance to the Jokhang are statues of the Four Guardian Kings
(Chökyong), two on either side. Beyond this is the main dukhang (assembly hall), a paved
courtyard that is open to the elements. During festivals the hall is often the focus of cere-
monies. The throne on the left wall was formerly used by the Dalai Lamas. You'll see a
line of pilgrims filing past the main Jokhang entrance as they walk the pilgrim circuit
around the temple.
The inner prayer hall of the Jokhang houses the most important images and chapels.
Most prominent are six larger-than-life statues that dominate the central prayer hall. In the
foreground and to the left is a 6m statue of Guru Rinpoche. The statue to the right is of
Jampa (Maitreya), the Future Buddha, with an ornate crown. At the centre of the hall,
between and to the rear of these two statues, is a thousand-armed Chenresig
(Avalokiteshvara). At the far right are two more Jampa statues, one behind the other, and
to the far rear, behind Chenresig and facing the main Jowo statue (you'll see it later), is an-
other statue of Guru Rinpoche, encased in a cabinet.
Encircling this enclosed area of statues is a collection of chapels, which Tibetan pil-
grims visit in a clockwise direction. There are generally long queues for the holiest
chapels, particularly the Chapel of Jowo Sakyamuni. Pilgrims rub the doorways and chain-
mail curtains, touch their heads to revered statues, throw seeds as offerings and pour mol-
ten yak butter into the heat of a thousand prayer lamps. The atmosphere of hushed sanctity
is broken only by the occasional mobile-phone ringtone.
The chapels, following a clockwise route, are as follows.
Tsongkhapa was the founder of the Gelugpa order, and you can see him seated in the
centre of the Chapel of Tsongkhapa & His Disciples (1) , flanked by his eight disciples.
Just outside is the large Tagba chörten. The eight medicine buddhas in the Chapel of the
Eight Medicine Buddhas (2) are recent and not of special interest.
The Chapel of Chenresig (3) contains the Jokhang's most important image after the Jo-
wo Sakyamuni. Legend has it that the statue of Chenresig here sprang spontaneously into
being and combines aspects of King Songtsen Gampo, his wives and two wrathful protect-
ive deities. The doors of the chapel are among the few remnants still visible of the
Jokhang's 7th-century origins and were fashioned by Nepali artisans. This and the next
four chapels are the most popular with pilgrims and lines can be long.