-Suguna Pradhan
Known as the ‘Roof of the world’, Tibet is home to many renowned buddhist monasteries, as well as the tallest mountain range in the world - The Himalayas. Although it is technically ruled by China, Tibet is an autonomous state in which China has little to no influence, and generally functions independently. It is a country of rich cultural traditions, as well as mystery, due to the inaccessibility of its terrain. Tibetian culture of the people is tied very strongly to their own unique brand of Buddhism, and Buddhist rituals and practices are a part of the daily lives of Tibetans.
Its capital city of Lhasa is also sometimes called ‘The Forbidden City’ as foreigners were not allowed to step within its bounds for centuries. Known as the ‘abode of the gods’, Lhasa was an alluring prospect to many European explorers of the time, including Arthur Douglas Carey, Andrew Dalgleish and Alexandra David-Neel.
Tibetan foods are as diverse as its people, due to the country’s proximity to China, India, and Nepal. The thin air and unproductive land present here is the reason it has developed many unique cuisines such as Tsampa, Tibetan noodles, and sheep blood sausage. The meat of the yak is also used in many dishes, and has several health benefits despite its strange origins. The main forms of cooking in Tibet are generally said to be steaming, boiling and shallow frying. Stir fried dishes are not common due to the high altitude. The most famous Tibetan dish is the Tibetan momo, which can be cooked either by steaming or shallow frying. It shares some characteristics with the chinese momo, however, its filling mainly comprises yak meat.
In 1950, the communist regime of China ordered Tibet to become a part of the People's Republic and it launched an invasion. The then teenaged Dalai Lama was forced to agree to the regime in exchange for Tibet to be an independent region. China refused to comply and tensions came to a rise till 1959, where thousands of Tibetans stormed the Potala Palace. The Dalai Lama was forced to leave Tibet and take refuge in India, while the then 6-year old Panchen Lama was kidnapped. The Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso has proclaimed that due to these circumstances, he will be the last Dalai Lama as he does not want Chinese influence to grow in Tibet.
One way that Tibetan people preserve their culture is through their way of dressing. The most common form of clothing is the Tibetan robe. The Tibetan robe style varies between men and women. While the men are seen wearing a high collared shirt and robe which is fastened with a cloth belt under the right arm, the women’s robe bears a narrower cut with or without the sleeves. Most men usually stick to a white shirt, while the women wear brightly colored clothes with turned down collars. The monks wear a much different style, with a purple and red skirt, which is quite long. They wear an undershirt for the upper body, along with a large and long purplish red kasaya (a patchwork outer vestment). Tibetan lamas wear special boots, some also being barefoot.
The Tibetan or Bodic language is one spoken widely in Tibet, Bhutan, Sikkim and in areas of northern India. Despite the existence of many dialects, the Lhasa dialect is the one most widely used. Tibetan is written in a very conservative script of Indian origin, and the current pronunciations differ from the original 7th century pronunciation.
Tibet is a beautiful, diverse country which has faced many hardships throughout the years. It is both modern and traditional, comprising a fascinating blend of the old and the new.
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