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LHASA TO GANDEN AND BEYOND

'Not all who wander are lost'
From The Fellowship of the Rings, JRR Tolkien

Introduction
Cycling a few hours out of Lhasa towards the south-east will take you to the valley of one of the greatest schools of Tibetan Buddhist teaching. In the counties of Taktse and Medrogongka is the 14th-century monastery of Ganden, which was the principal repository of Gelug teaching.

The road is largely paved and flat and it traverses fertile fields with the Kyi chu meandering alongside. It is a picturesque journey and a pleasant one-day cycle to the foot of the mountain on which Ganden is built. At the foot of the mountain the adventure begins: it's a long hard climb up to the monastery from the road. This is a good hill ride to undertake as preparation for the Friendship Highway. And rest assured that no other hill climb will ever seem as hard – partly because you will be acclimatizing and partly because it is just plain steep and the terrain is difficult! Once you reach the monastery you will forget the effort immediately. It is an inspiring sight.

Ganden monastery, albeit impressive (and painstakingly restored in recent years) is by no means the only reason to cycle in the region. The monasteries of the Gyama valley include several important karmapa sites of the 12th to 14th centuries, including the birthplace of Songtsen Gampo.

Culture aside, the area also offers some of the most interesting and accessible trekking routes in the region. From Ganden you can trek over to Samye monastery on the shore of the mighty Tsangpo. You can also visit the Uri Katsel – a 7th-century geomantic temple representing the religions of Tibet, India and China.

Alternatively, if you continue by bicycle towards Tibet's eastern border with China, you will reach the small Dagpa monastery, just after the Chinese town of Medrogongka. By turning off at Medrogongka itself, you can travel up to the distant sites of Drigung Til or Tidrom.

Information for cyclists
Ganden monastery is close to Lhasa and an excellent cycle to ‘break-in’ you and your gear. Any faults in your bike (or you) can be fine-tuned upon returning to Lhasa before embarking on any more arduous rides.

Ganden has been a site of relatively recent political unrest. However, currently you do not require a permit to visit Ganden. There is a checkpoint 5km east of the Lhasa bridge. Be aware that there are a number of military areas along the early parts of this route so be careful and do not hang around and take photographs of sensitive areas.

LHASA TO GANDEN [see Map 1]

Lhasa bridge
The starting point for the route guide from Lhasa to Ganden is Lhasa bridge, 3km from Barkhor Square. To get there, go east along Beijing Shar Lam to a major intersection. Turn right (south) at the end of the road onto Lingyu Chang Lam and turn left onto Chingdrol Shar Lam. At the end of Chingdrol Shar Lam, turn right again and follow the road directly south across Lhasa bridge. Across the bridge is a large, foul smelling rubbish dump. Although the stench is incentive enough to move on quickly, it may interest you to know that the hill overlooking the rubbish dump and the south banks of the Lhasa chu is Bumpari (4300m). You will see the prayer flags fluttering from above.

Turn left across the bridge to go to Ganden monastery. If you turn right you will come to Drib military camp.

Dechen Dzong
Twenty kilometres along the road from Lhasa bridge toward Ganden monastery is Dechen Dzong, a fort that once protected Lhasa from invasion from the east. The ruin of this fort can be seen from the road and it overlooks Dechen Dzong (in Chinese Taktse Xian), a town that is now the county capital.

Dechen Dzong was once the seat of the Kyisho Depa, the ancient ruler of the Lhasa district and the ruin contains a Gelug temple known as Samdrubling.

Dechen/Taktse Zampa bridge
A further 3km east of Dechen Dzong is a large, modern, concrete and iron bridge. It leads to Drak Yerpa, a suggested side route. Do not cross the bridge if you are heading directly to Ganden.

Drak Yerpa
A possible return cycle to Lhasa would be to take the road on the north bank of the Kyi chu including the Drak Yerpa meditation caves (albeit on a more difficult road than the main road). You need to cross the large Taktse Zampa bridge. After you cross the bridge, you will reach Dromto village. From Dromto it is a further 2km to the next junction. At the junction, turn left for a further 11km and then turn right (north) for a further 7km, which will take you to Yerpa Da. The caves at Drak Yerpa are a three-hour walk from Yerpa Da.

Drak Yerpa is a limestone cave complex associated with King Songtsen Gampo, Guru Rinpoche (the enlightenment cave) and Atisha. All of these religious figures are believed to have meditated here at some time. In terms of religious significance, the site ranks with Samye Chimpu and Yarlung Sheldrak, these being the three principal cave retreats of Tibet. Each one has special geomantic qualities, and Drak Yerpa has more than 80 caves. It may be possible to stay inside one of the caves – but bring your own food and supplies.

From Yerpa Da it is 26km directly back to Lhasa, via two hydropower stations.

Ganden Namgyeling monastery
If you continue along the main road on the south of the river, directly to Ganden, the Ganden turn-off is a further 21km past Dechen Dzong. You will see the turn-off on your right-hand side, just before a small village (near the 4591km road marker). From the main road you will not be able to see Ganden monastery as it is nestled around the other side of the mountain above. Turn right onto the metal road from where it is a 9.5km ride up a difficult 550m ascent. The road has many switchbacks and creeps up to an altitude of 4220m. It is hard work, particularly if conditions are wet. The dirt road can get extremely muddy and the corners of the switchbacks in particular can bog down the tyre of the hardiest mountain bike. It is worth persevering with the road, even if you have to get off your bike at the steeper parts.

GANDEN MONASTERY
Ganden monastery was founded in 1409 by Je Tsongkhapa, who was also the founder of the Gelug school. The name ‘Ganden’ means ‘Paradise of Maitreya’. Maitreya is ‘The Joyful�.

Ganden was the first of the three great Gelug monasteries (the other two of which are Lhasa's Drepung and Sera). Ultimately, there were six great Yellow Hat monasteries. These were the original three. Shigatse's Tashilhunpo, the birthplace of Tsongkhapa, Kumbum (near Xining) and Labrang (near Lanzhou) followed. If you take the route from Xining to Lhasa/Shigatse, you will be able to visit all six sites on the way.

Ganden is situated on the south-facing ridge of Gokpori. On the left-hand side of the ridge is the sacred Wangkuri. This natural amphitheatre was the site of the first ever Monlam festival. From Ganden there is a spectacular view of Kyi chu valley.

During its history, Ganden became a Mecca for the faithful followers of the Gelug sect. Prior to 1959, the Ganden abbot (Ganden Tripa) was responsible for the tutorship of the 14th Dalai Lama (jointly with leaders from Drepung and Sera). At Ganden, unlike at other monasteries, the position of abbot is neither a hereditary right nor a reincarnation. It is a position that resembles management or leadership roles in the West, whereby a learned monk is chosen for his ability and carries the position for a seven-year term. The abbots then became potential candidates for the regency, the effective rulers of Tibet during the absence or minority of reincarnate dalai lamas.

The year 1959 was not the first time that Ganden was involved in political upheaval. Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, the monks of Ganden joined with their colleagues at Drepung and Sera and formed a reactionary political force that hindered the dramatic reforms that were introduced under the rule of the 13th Dalai Lama.

The monastery was severely ransacked by Red Guards in 1966 and during that period it came to represent a triumph of Mao's policies over Tibetan religion and history. However, by 1986, 16 of Ganden's temples had been rebuilt and approximately 200 monks have now returned to live and study at the site. It has never returned to its former glory at a time when between 2000 and 3000 monks resided at the monastery. As recent as 1996, Ganden monks were shot at during violent demonstrations against the banning of Dalai Lama pictures. The PLA fired on the protesting monks, killing two and arresting at least 100.

Services
Bus Buses to Ganden leave at 06:30 from the west side of the Barkhor. You can buy bus tickets from a small tin shed on the south-east corner of the Barkhor. The trip is approximately 2hr 30min and the bus will remain at the monastery until it makes a return trip to Lhasa in the afternoon, at around 14:00.

Accommodation It is possible to spend the night at Ganden: the basic guesthouse is on the left-hand side as you enter the Ganden gates. The accommodation block is a large building beside the parking area. Alternatively, there are places to camp if you climb up the hill a little, just before the entranceway to the monastery.

Food At the guesthouse restaurant you will be served simple meals such as noodles with steamed bread or vegetables. There is also plenty of hot water and tea. There is a small shop a little further along the road that sells a few provisions and sweets.

Ganden highlights
Bear in mind that most of the buildings and statues at Ganden are now reconstructed replicas. Some original statues and treasures are held in museums but most were destroyed.

Serdung Lhakhang This is the red painted building with a large white stupa and the largest golden roof in the Ganden complex. It is the main assembly hall. Reconstruction work on it is almost complete. To get to it, simply follow the road around from the accommodation building past the Debating Courtyard. (There is often debating in the afternoons.)
Tongwa Donden This is Tsonghapa's reliquary chorten (his tomb), and it is found on the first floor in the Yangpachen Khang Chapel. There is a cabinet to the left of the chorten, which contains relics of the great leader, including a tooth, begging bowl and vajra. Women are not allowed to enter protector temples (gonkhang) for fear that the wrathful appearances may upset them.

Sertrikhang If you climb further up the hill from the Tongwa Donden, on the right-hand side you will find the Throne of Tsonghapa. This also served as the throne of successive abbots and is backed by large images of Tsongkhapa and his two foremost students. Near the throne is a cloth bag containing the 14th Dalai Lama's Yellow Hat.

Ganden kora
The Ganden kora is a one-hour walk, in a clockwise direction, starting from up behind the little shop in the Ganden complex. The walk takes you in a circle right around the top of the mountain upon which Ganden is built. It is well worthwhile, not only because it is an extremely sacred kora, but also because it offers a magnificent vista of the Lhasa valley (as well as an opportunity to liaise with the locals away from the watchful eyes at the monastery).

As you follow the kora, you will pass the site of Tsongkhapa's prostrations (at the summit) and the site of sky burials. Towards the end of the kora, just as Ganden monastery comes back into view, you will reach Tsongkhapa's hermitage Ozer/Waser Puk (�Cave of Light�), which is still the original building. A sweet monk guards the building and will point out the relief image of Tsongkhapa and the two Buddha images carved into the rock. The rocks around it are beautifully painted.

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