Ulaanbaatar Tourism: Gandan Monastery

#TravelRecordsAsia This is a Tibetan Buddhist temple. The Mongolian people have a strong faith in this place, and it should be called the headquarters of Lamaism in Ulaanbaatar. At the very back of Gandan Monastery, there is the Kannon Hall, and inside, there is a large 25m tall Kannon Bodhisattva. This Kannon is said to heal the eyes. There are prayer wheels and small Buddha statues surrounding the Kannon. A prayer wheel is a cylindrical golden ring with a rod through the middle, and when you turn it by hand, it spins easily and smoothly. Inside the cylinder is a sacred sutra, and in Tibetan Buddhism, you turn it twice clockwise. It is said that you will receive the same merit as chanting the sutra. There are many around. Why not try turning them? There are many small Buddha statues in glass cases surrounding the prayer wheel. Each one has a slightly different face. They are said to be Buddha statues of people who donated to the temple. #TravelsAsia #Ulaanbaatar