** Lama has gone ** (Kham Jyekundo, 1992) Jekundo (Kyigudo) is the center of northern Kham (eastern Tibet) region. Jegundo has the Jegu Gompa, a big monastery of Sakya tradition, and also many powerful monasteries nearby.

The Jegu mongastery was under reconstruction. It is a typical Tibetan style monostery which lies on the slope of hills. The colouring, dark-red and white stripes on gray ground, is unique to the Sakya tradition. The reconstruction was going well, according to a Japanese traveler who visited there recently.

Tibetan paintings drawn on a wall of the monastery. Mandalas, stories of Buddha, history of the monastery -- How many days will it take to taste each of them carefully!?

Thousand of Buddha cover the whole wall inside a chapel. Actually it was very dark there.

Jegu monastery has many temples and chapels. Each of them has unique style and decaration. Monks were very friendly. They served me many cups of butter tea, as usual with Tibetans.

Many local people visited a chapel at the foot of hill.

The main temple was still under construction. I asked a monk, "who sits on the throne at the center?" "He has gone to India.", he answered. Many leading Lamas fled to India after the exile of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Jyekundo city, despite full of Chinese settlers, still remained Tibet. Tibetan nomads, accompanying their yaks and sheep, never hesitated to pass along the main street. It made a heavy traffic jam. Is it still like that nowadays?