GEOGRAPHY
Geographically this land can be divided into three parts; the east,
the south and the north. The eastern part is forest region which occupies
one-third of Tibet. The southern part is open grassland which occupies
almost half of Tibet. The Southern and central region is agricultural region
occupying one fourth of Tibet and with all the major cities such as Lhasa,
Gyantse, Shigatse, Lhatse, Tsedang, etc. This area is also considered as the
cultural center of Tibet and Buddhism. Tibet covers a total area of
1,200,000 sq. kms and has a population of approximately 2,200,000.
HISTORY
Although Tibetan history can be traced thousands of years back, the
written history only dates back to the 7th century. Its history can be
divided into four Period as follows:
1) The
Tsangpo Period. 127 A.D. -847 A.D.
2) The Period of Decentralization 842 A.D. - 1260 A.D.
3) The Period of Sakya, Pagdu and Karmpa`s Rule. 1260 A. D-1642 A.D.
4) The period of the Ganden Podrang`s Administration.1642 A.D-959A.D.
After the Dalai Lama took political asylum in India in 1959, Tibet has been
ruled by The People's Government of the Tibetan Autonomous Region which is a
part of People's Republic of China.
RELIGION & CULTURE
Tibet is known for its unique Culture and religion. Buddhism
influenced Tibet after Tsrong Tsang Gampo, the 33rd Tibetan king of 7th
century, married Nepali Princess Bhrikuti. After the marriage Buddhism
slowly started to replace the Bon Po religion and it took better shape after
the king's minister translated the first Buddhist scripture said to have
been descended from the heaven on 5th century and written in Sanskrit. Now
Buddhism is the soul of Tibet and Tibetans. Small number of population are
Muslim and there is no trace of Christians and other religions.
Spiritual traditions, temples
and monasteries, lakes and rivers, and mighty snow clad peaks are just a
few of the intoxicating wonders to be experienced by adventurous
travelers who get the opportunity to visit this land. Buddhism, with a
history of some 1,300 years is shaped into a unique form of "Lamaism".
Tibetan history, culture and religion are mixed together and infiltrate
every aspect of social life. Tibetan religious arts have a distinctive
style with adoption of Indian and Chinese Buddhist influence, thus
forming a pearl of Oriental Buddhist art. Festivals in Tibet are
numerous providing many opportunities for large and exciting
celebrations. So come and visit a the land rich in mountains, monks,
mystery and adventure.
