Three Monks on Kailash Pilgrimage | Photos of Tibet

A photo of a three old Buddhist monks on the pilgrimage around Mt Kailash in Tibet.

We met these three old monks descending from the Drolma La on the pilgrimage trek around Mt Kailash. To the Tibetans Mt Kailash is known as Kang Rinpoche or Precious Snow Mountain.

At almost 19,000 feet the high point of the pilgrimage circuit is the Drolma La. Drolma, or Dolma, is the Tibetan name for Tara, the Bodhisattva of Wisdom and Compassion, the Bodhisattva who carries you across. The Drolma La symbolically represents the place of spiritual death and rebirth, the place where you leave your old self (as in your old limiting habits) behind. Crossing it is a powerful experience.

A few minutes after this photo was taken we rested with them for a few minutes and admired the traditional felt boots that one of them was wearing.

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Landscape format.

A guide to approx sizes
A3: 42x29.7cm
A2: 59.4x42cm
70x50cm

Photo by Silk Road Gallery director Peter Bennion, 2012.

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