the Jampa Lakhang in Tokyu (Tok-khyu)
Coordinates of the site: 29° 9’52.38” northern latitude and 83° 9’31.08” eastern longitude, at an altitude of 4214 meters.
The Jampa Lakhang (Tib.: byams-pa lka-khang) is situated in the north of the settlement of Tokyu on the right bank of a river, surrounded by terraced fields. Tokyu lies in the northern part of Lower Dolpo, north of Dho Tarap. At this place two valleys and rivers are converging, one from the north, the other from the northeast. A path leads from the river to the temple which stands slightly elevated outside the settlement and is easily recognizable by its white-red color. In front of the vestibule on the west side of the temple, there are three partially preserved chörten. A narrow ambulatory allows the circling of the temple.
The building itself is a rectangular, two-storey cube and measures 12.3 x 8.2 meters. The entrance to the vestibule is on the east side of the temple. From here the ground floor, a chamber on the south side and the upper floor are accessible. The entrance to the sacral room is located in the centre of the east wall. The room is articulated by four columns. Two differently sized windows on the north wall and another on the south side of the room bring natural light into the temple room. On the west side the altar with the dominating Maitreya figure stands centrally, next to it there are room-high painted shelves containing further sculptures in the lower and Tibetan books in the upper part. The walls on the north, south and east sides are painted above the wall base, as well as the four pillar capitals and the overlying main beams of the wooden ceiling.
The upper floor is accessed by steep stairs on the north side of the vestibule. The upstairs room is used as a kitchen and a storage. The ascent to the flat roof is situated on the south side. On the south-western corner of the upper floor there is the entrance to an attached room measuring 5.2 x 3.4 meters, which leads to a further slightly lower room via a staircase. The flat roof of this annex is a little lower, the corner areas of its attic are marked, as well as on the temple roof, with the traditional masonry.
