Monasteries of Ladakh – The Land of the Lamas

Since Historical times Ladakh has been a part of many kingdoms and been ruled by various dynasties. These dynasties followed their respective culture, tradition and religion. But no religion has had a biggest impact on the region other than Buddhism. The main preachers of the religion, the Buddhist monks traveled extensively through the rugged terrain and the almost in accessible remote areas in the region and built a lot of monasteries. Some of which are in ruins and some still stand strong. Popularly referred to as Gompas, these monasteries are architectural marvels and have served as centers of religion and learning since times, past and present.

Some of these monasteries are renowned tourist attractions and offer people a perfect opportunity to experience the grandeur and excellence of the Buddhist culture. Find below the brief info of some such places in Ladakh – The Land of Lamas.

Hemis Monastery :

Situated around 45 km from the town of Leh, this monastery is believed to have existed even before the 11^th Century. The Gompa was re established in 1672 by the then ruler of Ladakh, King Sengge Namgyal. This gompa is of Tibetian Buddhism following the Drukpa liniage. The state department of Tourism organizes the Hemis Festival to commemorate the birth of Guru Padmasambhava(Guru Rinpoche) every year. Guru Padmasambhava was the main propagator of Vajrayana Buddhism and was born on the 10^th day of the fifth month of the Monkey year. The main attraction of the festival is the masked dances referred as the Chams performances and are only performed by the lamas/monks who follow the tantric Vajrayana teachings of Buddhism.

Alchi Monastary :

This monastery is located in Alchi Village near Leh, is a group of 4 temples in the same complex. According to some it was built by the great translator, Guru Richen Zangpo over a period of time in the 10^th & 11^th Century. Some records also suggest that it was built in the 11^th Century by a Tibetan Noble Kal-Dan Shesh-rab. This monastery follows the Tibetan Vajrayana teachings of Buddhism also known as Lamaism. The Gompa has beautiful artistic paintings depicting details both, Buddhism and the then Hindu Kings of Kashmir. It is one of the most famous monasteries/gompas in the Ladakh region.

Thiksey Gompa :

Located around 19 km from Leh, Thiksey is said to be the largest Gompa in Central Ladakh. It is built on a hill top of Thiksey Village in the mid 15^th Century and is quite similar to the Potala Palace of Lasha in Tibet. The gompa follows the Gelug Sect of Tibetan Buddhism. This is a 12 storied gompa with the main attraction of the Maitreya Buddha Statue. The 49 feet statue covers around 2 stories and was installed inside the monastery to commemorate the visit of His Holiness, The 14^th Dalai Lama.

Lamayuru Monastery :

Located around 15 km from the Fotu La, this monastery is one of the oldest in Ladakh and is said to have built around the same time as the Alchi Monastary. According to legend an Indian Buddhist Mahasiddha viz. Naropa (Naropada) caused a lake in this valley to dry up in order to build this monastery. This Gompa belongs to the Drikung Kagyu school of Buddhism also commonly known as the Red Hat Sect of Buddhism. Layuru is one of the largest Gompas in Ladakh region and is host to 2 masked dance festivals in the 2^nd and the 5^th month of the Tibetan Calender.

Shey Monastary :

The monastery was built by the then King of Ladakh, Deldon Namgyal in the memory of his father Singay Namgyal inside the Shey Palace Complex. The monastery is famous for its gold gilded copper statue of Shakyamuni Buddha. The statue with the Shakyamuni Buddha in the sitting position is 39 feet tall and is the second largest such statue in Ladakh. The Gompa is located around 15 km from Leh and was abandoned by the Namgyals during the Dogra Invasion of Ladakh. In this gompa there is also a belief that woman without children can beget them with the blessings of the Buddha.

Along with the above mentioned, there a lot of gompas like Likir, Stok, Spituk and many more in the Ladakh Region. To explore some of the above mentioned holy shrines you can join on a Trans Himalayan Safari to Ladakh – The Land of the Lamas along with

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