Drigung & Terdom


Kloster Drigung am Berghang mit Gebetsfahnen

After the night in Reting Monastery we continued across the Tibetan high plateau to Drigung Monastery, through an impressive landscape. Our guide’s mood here was strange and anxious. Apparently photography is heavily restricted, and travel agencies have already been fined by the government, even though there are no clear rules.

Photographing with caution in Drigung

Inside the monastery rooms photography was no problem, but before every landscape shot I asked our guide whether, in his opinion, the framing was allowed. It wasn’t the only incident on the trip where we could only marvel at the government’s approach – but you have to be careful what you write on the internet. Everyone should form their own picture. Then we drove on to Terdom and its hot springs. Apart from the viewpoint, the village was rather nondescript, and it turned out to be the dirtiest and coldest night of our trip. All the more did we look forward, after four days, to a hot shower and a warm room.

Assembly hall with red columns and rows of seats in Drigung Monastery
The assembly hall of Drigung with red pillars and rows of seats.
Folded yellow robes on the wooden benches in Drigung Monastery
Folded yellow robes on the wooden benches.
Large drum next to the rows of seats in Drigung Monastery
A large drum beside the rows of seats.
Painted roof edge above the row of windows at Drigung Monastery
A painted roof edge above the row of windows.
Gilded statue with a red crown in Drigung Monastery
A gilded statue with a red crown.
Silver ritual vessels in Drigung Monastery, in black and white
Silver ritual vessels in the half-light.
Green bowl and a small bowl of grain on a red table in Drigung Monastery
A green bowl and grains on a red table.
Silhouette of a person in the dark corridor of Drigung Monastery
A silhouette in the light at the end of the dark corridor.
Two men at the prayer wheels in the courtyard of Drigung Monastery
Two men at the prayer wheels in the courtyard.
White and red Drigung Monastery above the highlands, snow on the mountains
The white-and-red monastery above the highlands, snow on the mountains.
Small burning bowl on a table in Drigung Monastery
A small burning bowl in a monastery room.
Terrace with Tibetan script on the parapet, view into the valley at Drigung Monastery
A terrace with Tibetan script on the balustrade, the valley below.
Red and white building with a golden roof edge at Drigung Monastery
A red-and-white building with a golden roof edge.
Two women by the wall of Drigung Monastery, mountains behind
Two women at the monastery wall, mountains behind.
Steep lane in the village of Terdom, child in a red jacket on the steps
A steep lane in Terdom, a child in a red jacket.
Off-road vehicle in front of a row of shops in the village of Terdom
An off-road vehicle in front of the row of shops in Terdom.
Men with motorbikes and a dog in front of a house in the village of Terdom
Men with motorbikes and a dog outside a house.
Prayer flags above the village of Terdom in a rocky valley
Prayer flags above the village in the rocky valley.
Colourful prayer flags above a rocky gorge near Terdom
Colourful prayer flags above the rocky gorge near Terdom.

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