Tibetan Peace Garden, Southwark

The overall design of the Tibetan Peace Garden symbolises the meeting of East and West, by bringing together contemporary western imagery with traditional Tibetan culture. The circular shape of the garden, for example, is based on the fundamental Buddhist image, the Wheel of Dharma. 

As you walk into the Tibetan Peace Garden, the first thing you come across is the Language Pillar. Built in Portland stone, its design is based on the famous Sho Pillar in front of the Potala Palace in Lhasa. It carries His Holiness the Dalai Lama's message of peace and harmony in four languages: Tibetan, Hindi, English and Chinese. The pillar is topped by 'precious jewels' set upon three steps representing peace, understanding and love.

Walking from the pillar towards the garden, you will see in the pathway a circular logo, cast in bronze and set in Kilkenny stone. The two Tibetan syllables in the centre mean 'Virtue' and 'Foundation', and the six 'vajras' represent the perfections of generosity, discipline, patience, diligence, concentration and wisdom as well as the six mythological families of the Tibetan people. This is the logo of the Tibet Foundation, who commissioned the Tibetan Peace Garden.

London Peace Pagoda

Peace in our Time.

Saturday March 8, 2014.

Having never visited Battersea Park, I couldn't wait to see the place for myself. It was a warm Spring afternoon when I finally reached my destination, where I took many photographs, from various angles. But, in the end, it was the image above, which was the first one I took, that I liked the most. The light and vibrancy of the colours really gave the area a serene feel, considering the bustle of joggers, dog walkers and fitness fanatics that were all around me.