View source for Lhamo La-tso

{{redirect|Lhamo Latso|the glacial lake in the Himalayas, North Sikkim district, India|Tso Lhamo Lake}}
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'''Lhamo Latso''' or '''Lha-mo La-tso''' ({{bo|t=ལྷ་མོའི་བླ་མཚོ།|w=Lha mo'i bla mtsho}}) is a small oval oracle lake where senior [[Tibetan Buddhism|Tibetan]] [[bhikkhu|monks]] of the [[Gelug]] sect go for visions to assist in the discovery of [[reincarnation]]s of the [[Dalai Lama]]s. Other pilgrims also come to seek visions. It is considered to be the most sacred lake in Tibet.<ref name="Lhamo Latso Lake">[http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-city/China/Lhamo%20La-tso,%20Tibet/tpod.html "Lhamo Latso Lake"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160830181403/http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-city/China/Lhamo%20La-tso,%20Tibet/tpod.html |date=2016-08-30 }}</ref>

It is also known as "The Spiritual-Lake of the Goddess", the goddess being [[Palden Lhamo]], the principal Protectress of Tibet.<ref>Dowman, Keith. (1988). ''The Power-Places of Central Tibet: The Pilgrim's Guide'', pp. 255, 259. Routledge & Kegan Paul Ltd., London. {{ISBN|0-7102-1370-0}} (pbk).</ref> Other names include: Tso Lhamo (mTsho Lha mo), Chokhorgyelgi Namtso (Chos 'khor rgyal gyi gnam mtsho) and Makzorma (dmag zor ma) and, on old maps, as Cholamo.<ref>Dowman, Keith. (1988). ''The Power-Places of Central Tibet: The Pilgrim's Guide'', p. 303. Routledge & Kegan Paul Ltd., London. {{ISBN|0-7102-1370-0}} (pbk).</ref>

==Palden Lhamo and Lhamo Latso==
[[File:Palden Lhamo.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Palden Lhamo]]
It is said that Palden Lhamo, as the female guardian spirit of the Lhamo Latso promised the [[1st Dalai Lama]] in one of his visions "that she would protect the reincarnation lineage of the Dalai Lamas." Ever since the time of the [[2nd Dalai Lama]], who formalised the system, the regents and other monks have gone to the lake to seek guidance on choosing the next reincarnation through visions while meditating there.<ref name=Laird>{{cite book|last=Laird|first=Thomas|title=The story of Tibet : conversations with the Dalai Lama|date=2006|publisher=Grove Press|location=New York|isbn=978-0-8021-1827-1|edition=1st|url=https://archive.org/details/storyoftibetconv00lair}}</ref>

The particular form of Palden Lhamo at Lhamo Latso is Jemo Maksoma ({{bo|w=rgyal mo dmag zor ma}}, "The Victorious Queen who Turns Back Enemies". The lake is sometimes referred to as "Palden Lhamo ''Kalideva''", which indicates that she may be the Buddhist form of the same Goddess known in the Hindu traditions as [[Kali]], [[shakti]] of [[Shiva]].<ref name =Dowman/>  Jemo Maksoma, also called '''Machik Pellha Shiwé Nyamchen''' ({{bo|w=Ma gcig dPal lha Zhi ba'i Nyams can}}), this is an unusually peaceful form of Palden Lhamo.<ref name=Dowman>{{cite book|last1=Dowman|first1=Keith|title=The power-places of Central Tibet : the pilgrim's guide|date=1988|publisher=Routledge & Kegan Paul|location=London|isbn=0-7102-1370-0}}, pp. 78, 260, 344.</ref>

The mountain to the south of [[Chokorgyel Monastery]], ''Shridevi'', is the "blue" residence of Palden Lhamo on which a [[sky burial]] site is located.<ref name=Dowman/> The monastery was originally built in a triangular form to reflect the symbolism of its position at the confluence of three rivers and surrounded by three mountains and also represents the conjunction of the three elements of water, earth and fire, as well as the female principle of Palden Lhamo in the form of an inverted triangle.<ref name=Dowman/>
{{blockquote|Lhamo Latso... [is] a brilliant azure jewel set in a ring of grey mountains. The elevation and the surrounding peaks combine to give it a highly changeable climate, and the continuous passage of cloud and wind creates a constantly moving pattern on the surface of the waters. On that surface visions appear to those who seek them in the right frame of mind.<ref name=Hilton>{{cite book|last1=Hilton|first1=Isabel|title=The search for the Panchen Lama|date=2000|publisher=Penguin|location=London|isbn=0-14-024670-3}}</ref>}}

It was here that in 1935, the Regent, [[Reting Rinpoche]], received a clear vision of three Tibetan letters and of a monastery with a jade-green and gold roof, and a house with turquoise roof tiles, which led to the discovery of Tenzin Gyatso, the present [[14th Dalai Lama]].<ref name="Laird, Thomas 2006 p. 139">Laird, Thomas (2006). ''The Story of Tibet: Conversations with the Dalai Lama'', p. 139. Grove Press, N.Y. {{ISBN|978-0-8021-1827-1}}</ref><ref>Norbu, Thubten Jigme and Turnbull, Colin M. (1968). ''Tibet: An account of the history, the religion and the people of Tibet'', pp. 228-230. Reprint: Touchstone Books. New York. {{ISBN|0-671-20559-5}}, p. 311.</ref><ref>Hilton, Isabel. (1999). ''The Search for the Panchen Lama''. Viking Books. Reprint: Penguin Books. (2000), p. 42. {{ISBN|0-14-024670-3}}.</ref>

==Geographical setting==
Lhamo Latso is in [[Gyaca County]], [[Lhoka (Shannan) Prefecture|Lhokha Province]] southeast of [[Lhasa]], a four-hour hike from the [[Gelug]]pa [[Chokorgyel Monastery]]<ref name=Gyurme>{{cite book|first=Gyurme|last=Dorje|title=Tibet handbook : [with Bhutan] : the travel guide|date=1999|publisher=Footprint Handbooks|location=Bath|isbn=978-1-900949-33-0|edition=2nd}}</ref> at an altitude of about {{convert|5300|m}} and covers an area of only about {{Convert|2|km2}}.<ref name="Lhamo Latso Lake"/><ref>Laird, Thomas (2006). ''The Story of Tibet: Conversations with the Dalai Lama'', pp. 263-266. Grove Press, N.Y. {{ISBN|978-0-8021-1827-1}}.</ref><ref name="Mayhew 2005 pp. 158-159">Mayhew, Bradley and Kohn, Michael. (2005) ''Tibet''. 6th Edition, pp. 158-159. {{ISBN|1-74059-523-8}}.</ref>

[[Chokorgyel Monastery]] itself is about {{Convert|115|km}} northeast of [[Tsetang]] and about {{Convert|160|km|abbr=on}} southeast of Lhasa, at an altitude of {{convert|4500|m}}.<ref name="Laird, Thomas 2006 p. 139"/><ref name="Mayhew 2005 pp. 158-159"/>

The old path from Chokorgyel Monastery used to be paved to make access easier for the senior monks wishing to visit the lake. Halfway along is a diamond-shaped pond fed by glaciers known as [[Yoni]] Lake. On a ridge near the top of the pass overlooking the lake a ritual ''shökde'' or throne was built for the Dalai Lama, where he once sat to divine the future while gazing into the lake about {{convert|1|km}} in front and {{convert|150|m}} lower down. Nowadays it is buried under a mound of silk scarves (''hadak'').<ref name="Mayhew 2005 p. 159">Mayhew, Bradley and Kohn, Michael. (2005) ''Tibet''. sixth Edition, p. 159. {{ISBN|1-74059-523-8}}.</ref>

Many pilgrims come each year to Lhamo Latso believing that, with proper devoutness, and after fasting for three days and refraining from talk, they will be rewarded with a revelation of their future in the skull-shaped mirror of the lake.<ref name="Lhamo Latso Lake"/>   Previously there was a temple to Jemo Maksoma at the eastern end of the lake; the site is now marked only by prayer flags and offerings left by pilgrims.<ref name="Mayhew 2005 p. 159"/><ref name=Dowman/>

There is a [[Kora (pilgrimage)|kora]] (circumambulatory pilgrimage) around Lhamo La-tso.<ref name="Mayhew 2005 p. 159"/>

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Shannan Prefecture-level city}}
{{Tibet topics}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lhamo Latso}}
[[Category:Lakes of Tibet]]
[[Category:Gyaca County]]
[[Category:Sacred lakes]]
[[Category:Tibetan Buddhist places]]
[[Category:Gelug]]