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Monuments
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An
old Stupa near Leh
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Sightseeing
of the historic monuments and major Buddhist gompas (monasteries) are
the main attractions of Ladakh. The Indus Valley, particularly from
Upshi down to Khalatse,
which is the region's historic heartland, is dotted with
all the major sites connected with the former kingdom's dynastic history,
starting with Leh, the capital, since the building of its nine-storey
Leh palace in the early 17th century. A few kilometres
up the Indus is Shey Palace, the most ancient capital,
with its palace and temples. Down river, Basgo, right
on the road, and Tingmosgang, a short distance up a side-valley,
both served as royal capitals when the Old Kingdom was temporarily divided
into two parts in the 15th century. Both these places have the remains
of forts and temples dating from the period of their brief glory.
Just across the river from Leh lies Stok, the village
with which the deposed royal family was compensated for the loss of
the throne. Stok Palace, where the royal family now lives,
houses a museum of artefacts associated with the dynasty.
Monasteries
The central
area of Ladakh has the greatest concentration of major Buddhist monasteries
or gompas. Of the twelve situated on or near the
Indus, the oldest monastery is that of Lamayuru, which
is believed to have been a sacred site for the pre-Buddhist religion
known as Bon. The monasteries of Phiyang, Hemis
and Chemrey were all founded under the direct patronage
of members of the ruling  Namgyal
dynasty. Phiyang represents an act of penance by the 16th
century King Tashi Namgyal for
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Hemis
Monastery displays this
thangka after every 12 years
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Thiksey
Monastery
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the violence
and treachery by which he reached the throne. Hemis monastery,
together with that of Hanle near the Tibetan border, was
established at the instance of King Singge Namgyal, while his widow
founded Chemrey as a posthumous act of merit for
him. Stakna, dating from a slightly earlier period, was
endowed by the Namgyal kings at various times. All these belong to the
Red Hat (Kargyud-Pa) sect of Tibetan monasticism.
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Likir
Monastery
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The
reformist Gelugs-pa, or Yellow-Hat sect,
is also well represented in central Ladakh by the monasteries of Thiksey,
Likir, Ri-dzong and Spituk,
the last of which has branch monasteries at Stok, Sabu
and Sankar. Ri-dzong, situated a few kilometres up a side-valley
from Uley-Tokpo, was founded only a century and a quarter ago by a devout
layman-turned-lama, with the purpose of following the strict monastic
rules of the Gelugs-pa sect.
Tak-thok
and Matho gompas represent the smaller but much older
Nying-ma-pa and Saskya-pa monastic sects
respectively. Tak-thok, situated at the foot of the Chang-la
pass, incorporates one of the many caves in the Himalayas where the
Indian Buddhist apostle Padmasambhava is said to have rested
and meditated on his journey to Tibet. Matho gompa is
famous for its festival of the oracles, which is held early in the year,
usually in the first half of March.
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Phyang
Monastery
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But
the jewel among Ladakh's monastic foundations is Alchi. Abandoned
centuries ago as a place of active worship, it has been lovingly maintained
by the monks of Likir, the nearest functioning monastery.
Known as Chos-kor, or religious enclave, it comprises
five temples, the richest in paintings and images being the Du-khang
(assembly hall) and the three-storey Sum-tsek. Its
murals, dating from the 11th and 12th centuries, pre-date the Tibetan
style of painting seen in all the other gompas of the region.
Some of them are reminiscent of the paintings of the Ajanta Caves and
are presumed to be almost the sole survivors (along with some in Phugtal
gompa in Zanskar, and Tabo gompa in Spiti) of
the Buddhist style prevailing in Kashmir during the first millennium
AD.
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Spituk
Monastery
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Note
for visitors to monasteries
The monasteries
of Ladakh are the fountainhead of Buddhist religion and culture. They
are also the repositories of the region’s centuries old artistic and
cultural heritage. Visitors are advised to respect their sanctity and
appreciate their heritage importance.
Shoes may
have to be removed before entering some of the temples, while ladies
are not allowed to enter the Gon-Khang or the room dedicated
to the guardian divinities. Smoking is anathema to the monastic atmosphere,
while loud action and improper dress may disturb the tranquil ambience
characteristic of such places of worship.
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The
library of Spituk Monastery
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A
mandala in the making in a Monastery
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Most of
the region’s principal monasteries are open throughout the day and a
caretaker lama is there to show visitors around. Some of the less visited
establishments have special opening hours as in the
case of the Namgyal Tsemo, Shey Palace etc. Check the timings in the
Tourist Office before proceeding to these places. Also, most monasteries
charge a small entrance fee.
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