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Jokhang Temple in Tibet is known as the Tsuk-La-Khang in Tibetan, which means the central cathedral. This is the most important and most sacred temple in Tibet and Inner Himalayas. To Tibetan, the temple is known as the central and heart of Tibetan Buddhism.

The Temple was built in the seventh century after the Tibetan king Songtsen Gampo shifted his capital to Lhasa. Songtsen Gampo married the princess from neighbouring kingdom like Nepal, Hor and Tang dynasty.

The temple was originally built by Nepalese craftsmen to house the Buddha statue brought to Tibet by the Nepalese princess as a dowry when marrying Songtsan Gampo. After the death of Songtsan Gampo, the statue was swapped by the Chinese Queen Wencheng the statue she brought (Jowo Sakyamuni) from the Ramoche Temple to Jokhang to hide it from the intruder. Now the Jowo Sakyamuni is the prime object of veneration in the Temple.

Unlike many other temples, this temple doesn’t belong to any particular sect of Tibetan Buddhism. You will see the different statues of Master of different sects from Milarepa to Je Tsongkhapa. The most interesting for the nonbelievers is the blend of Nepalese architectural with the Tibetan architectural if you observe the door and the pillar you can clearly see the visibility of Nepalese architectural.

This place was recommended by: i-Tibet Travel