Tibet's revered temple opens day after huge fire

Jokhang Temple, one of Tibet's holiest Buddhist temples which caught fire on
Saturday, has been reopened amid official media reports
today that the iconic monastery in Lhasa has not suffered
much damage.
The temple, considered to be the spiritual heart of
Tibetan Buddhism in the remote Himalayan region,

attracts thousands of pilgrims and tourists from home
and abroad.
An orderly crowd of pilgrims and tourists yesterday
lined up to visit the temple, state-run Xinhua news
agency reported.
The fire broke out at 6:40 PM on Saturday and was
soon put out. No casualties have been reported.
There are no visible signs of fire except some water

marks in the main hall of the monastery, the report said.
The temple, renowned in Tibetan Buddhism, has a
history of more than 1,300 years and houses many
cultural treasures, including a life-sized statue of the
Sakyamuni Buddha when he was 12-year-old.
The Barkhor, a bustling market street near the
monastery, was reopened to the public after a temporary
closure following the fire.
The temple will remain closed from February 19 to
22, when its monks mark the New Year holiday.
The Tibetan New Year was celebrated on Friday, coinciding with the Spring Festival this year.
Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post

reported earlier that the fire had caused concerns about
likely damage it might have caused.
Internet users posted pictures and videos of the fire
on social media, showing flames shooting high in the air.
The extent of the damage was not immediately
unknown, the Post report said.
The oldest part of the temple was built more than
1,300 years ago and the whole structure was added to
UNESCO's World Heritage list in 2000 as part of the
Potala Palace, the official home of successive Dalai
Lamas.