Starting with a better question
“Mystical energy” is a phrase that appears often in travel writing about the Potala, but it is not a Buddhist technical term, and this site makes no claim about unseen forces. A more useful question is: what do pilgrims actually come to the Potala to honour? The answer is concrete. They come to pay respect at chapels, before sacred images, and at the reliquary stupas of earlier Dalai Lamas, and to make offerings as an expression of devotion.
Details of what is open, and how, change from time to time. Check current official sources, and note that the palace is both a heritage site and a place of worship, so access arrangements can be strict.
Chapels: images as focus for devotion
The Potala contains many chapels, mostly in the Red Palace, the religious part of the complex. They hold statues, painted scrolls, sacred texts and offerings. In Tibetan Buddhist practice, an image of a Buddha or bodhisattva is not simply decoration; it is a support for reflection and a recipient of respect, and devotees bow, circle and make offerings in front of it. Interpretations of what an image “is” differ between traditions and between individuals, so a respectful visitor does not need to settle that question.
One chapel often mentioned in tradition is a small, older shrine associated with the early palace, which is linked by tradition to Songtsen Gampo and holds images of Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva of compassion. How much of it dates from the earliest period is uncertain, as discussed in the article on the palace’s history. Other chapels honour a range of Buddhas, teachers and protector figures. Learning to read Buddha iconography and bodhisattva images before a visit helps identify whom a statue represents. Protector deities, which sometimes look fierce, are understood in the tradition as guardians of the teachings, not as threats.
The reliquary stupas of the Dalai Lamas
The most striking objects in the Red Palace are the funerary stupas of several past Dalai Lamas. In Tibetan practice, a reliquary stupa, or chorten, holds the preserved remains of a revered teacher, and it becomes a focus of veneration. The stupas in the Potala are large and richly decorated, often covered in gold and set with ornaments, and they stand in tall halls where devotees can circle them.
The Fifth Dalai Lama’s stupa is generally described as the largest, and the Thirteenth Dalai Lama, who died in 1933, has a stupa as well. Tibetan chorten forms are explained in a separate article; for visitors, it is enough to know that the stupa is a shrine rather than a monument or tomb in the Western sense. Pilgrims treat it as a place where they can show respect to a lineage of teachers and ask for blessings in their own terms.
What a person feels in such a space varies. Some Tibetan visitors describe deep devotion, while others come mainly as sightseers. Both are present. The idea of “energy” in popular writing may be a way of describing the atmosphere of a hall full of lamps, incense and murmured prayer, but for those who worship there, the meaning is devotional.
Offerings and what they mean
Offerings in the Potala follow general Tibetan Buddhist custom. You may see:
- butter lamps, offered as a symbol of dispelling ignorance and as a way to make merit,
- white ceremonial scarves placed on or before images,
- small donations of money left in designated places,
- grain, water and incense at altars.
The reason is not to buy favours. Shrine offerings are an expression of respect and generosity, and the intention behind them is considered more important than the amount. As a visitor, you may make no offering at all; a quiet and courteous presence is entirely acceptable. If you do give, use the places provided and follow the example of others, since customs vary and staff will guide you. Giving alms respectfully is a related subject that applies in many places.
Moving through the palace
Visitors usually follow a set route through the chapels. Expect crowds, narrow stairs and lower light. Dress modestly, remove hats where asked, keep your voice low, and never point your feet at an image or touch a sacred object. Photography is commonly not allowed inside the chapels, and guards may enforce this, so follow the posted rules. Treat each doorway as an entrance to a place of worship, even when a tour group is moving quickly through.
Walking in a clockwise direction around a stupa or image is the usual custom, where the layout permits. You might see a pilgrim touch the forehead to a sacred object or doorframe as a gesture of reverence; as a visitor, watch rather than copy unless invited.
Altitude and health
The Potala sits on a hill in a city around 3,650 metres above sea level, and the route includes long flights of steps. Even fit travellers can find this hard in the first days. Altitude sickness awareness, medical advice before travelling and a slow pace are all advisable. If you feel unwell, rest and seek help, and do not push on to complete a visit.
A grounded way to appreciate the Potala
If the word “mystical” attracts you, it may help to rephrase it as “devotional”. The palace is a place where history, art and living religion overlap. The atmosphere comes from practice: centuries of prayer, a lineage of teachers honoured in their own stupas, and families making offerings today. Seeing the Potala this way avoids exoticising it and keeps the focus on what it means to the people who worship there.