Exclusive: Rare glimpse inside secluded Tibet

September 13, 1997
Web posted at: 5:47 p.m. EDT (2147 GMT)

LHASA, Tibet (CNN) -- A centuries-old Tibetan festival has drawn to a close after a week of religious and cultural celebrations in Lhasa, the region's capital.

Nuns and religious leaders traveled hundreds of miles by foot and animal-drawn carriages to join in the Shoton Festival, which dates to the 15th century. The highlight of the event was marked by the annual unveiling of a giant Buddha portrait at the historic Drepung Monastery.

Tibet festival

Footage from the Himalayan region is rare, but CNN Interactive takes you there. China claims sovereignty over Tibet and has suppressed Buddhism there since a 1950s uprising against Communist rule.

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