Today, hermits are gradually returning to the caves of Drak Yerpa, and its shrines are being restored from the horrible damage of Cultural Revolution in 1960’s of 20thcentury.
Built on a hillside with more than 80 meditation caves, This site is about 25km east of Lhasa located on the mountain seated south bank of Lhasa River , and being described as the “life tree” or spiritual axis of Lhasa.
The road to Drak Yerpa has been rebuilt which are all well paved road from Lhasa to the parking lot
It was the home of several hundred hermits, monks, and nuns, and having been visited by Songsten Gampo, Yeshe Tsoygel, Padmasambhava and Asisha.
Mr. Tucci described this site: “Drak Yerpa appeared suddenly before my eyes as a bend of the road, a cascade of small white buildings along steep overgrown cliffs. One could have thought one was not in Tibet. Giant junipers and tufts of rhododendron topped a thick tangle of undergrowth, brushwood and grass victoriously fighting the hard barrenness of rocks.
The cliffs were riddled with burrows and caves, some of which were so high up on the fact of the abrupt hill that it would have been risky to climb them.”
Among the caves on the hillside is Chogyel Puk, where Songsten Gampo meditated.
Nearby is Lhakhang Puk, where the monk Lhalungpa Pelgi Dorje (now identified with Tulsi Rimpoche of Tupten Choling monastery in nepal) hid after assassinating the Bonpo king Langdama in 842.
