A kora is a circumambulation, a walk around a sacred object or building, made clockwise and usually repeated. In Lhasa there are several, and they are ordinary daily practice rather than a visitor attraction: office workers, grandmothers, monks and traders all walk them, often before work or in the evening.
The Barkhor
The best known circuit goes around the Jokhang Temple in the old town and is called the Barkhor. There are three versions. The innermost follows the prayer-wheel corridor immediately around the temple itself, where the walls are worn smooth by hands turning the wheels. The middle circuit runs the length of the market street that circles the temple, past stalls selling prayer flags, butter, jewellery, textiles and religious objects. The outer circuit takes in a wider ring of streets and is less crowded. One middle circuit takes about twenty minutes at walking pace.
The Potala kora
A second major circuit runs around the base of the Potala Palace. It is longer and more varied than the Barkhor, climbing the hillside behind the palace and passing a long row of prayer wheels, rock carvings and painted deities cut into the cliff, with views out over the city. Most of it is paved and stepped, and the whole loop takes an hour or a little more at a relaxed pace. The stretch behind the palace, away from the road, is the quietest and the most atmospheric part.
Walking respectfully
Walk clockwise - the direction of the circuit - and do not cut across it. If you want to photograph, step to the side so you are not blocking the flow, and ask before photographing individuals. Prostration is common along the circuits, particularly at the Jokhang, where pilgrims perform full-length bows on wooden boards worn into grooves; walk around them rather than stepping over or between them. The circuits are busiest at dawn and around dusk, and quiet in the middle of the day.
Practical notes
Both circuits are at 3,600 metres, so take the first one slowly and expect to be short of breath. The ground is uneven stone, and shoes with grip are better than smooth soles. Barkhor is in the middle of the old town and easily reached on foot from most Lhasa hotels; the Potala has its own approach on the western side of the city. There is no fee for either, and no gate closing time, though the lanes of the old town empty out by about nine in the evening.
