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Leh
is the last outpost of civilization in India .Covered with snow most
of the year, It has very few vegetation and is almost a cold desert.
What makes it standout is the Buddhist efflorescence .Thousands of
llamas or monks of Tibetan Buddhists have made it their home. A
profusion of monasteries, stupas and inimitable paintings populate
the place. The aesthetically pleasing, architecturally interesting
monasteries are the focus of the faith of the Buddhists here. Used
as the places of worship, isolated meditation and religious
instruction for the young, innumerable monasteries celebrate their
annual festivals marked by mask dances. Monasteries also hide within
a wealth of artifacts .Wonder at the sheer grandeur of Lamayuru, the
oldest religious centre. Gaze admiringly at Alchi’s exquisite
masterpieces in terms of uniqueness of wood carving, statues and
frescoes. .Be sure to stop by at Hemis. It’s wealth of its
possession and its annual summer festival makes it the most popular.
How to reach here
By Air: All through the year, there is air service from
Delhi, Chandigarh, Jammu and Srinagar.
By Road: The main overland road is from the Kashmir valley
via the 434-km. Srinagar-Leh road,
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Places to visit |
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Karcha
Monastery - Zanskar
Karcha is the
largest of all monasteries in the region with more than 100
monks in residence. Apart from shrines there are exquisite
wall paintings executed by the Lama Dzadpa Dorje. Dorje
Rinchen’s Bone relics are also kept here. There are also two
temples built by Rinchen Zangpo. During the Gustor festival,
the sacred dance performed is a sight to behold.
Nearby in the village of Karcha there are the monasteries of
Khagsar, of Purang in the village of Langmi, of Phagspa in
the village of Nangbaphal and a nunnery called Dorjezong at
the top of the valley.
Zongkuyl
Monastery
Founded by the
great mahasiddha Naropa, it stands on the place where he
struck his ritual dagger into the rock. There are diverse
sacred shrines including the holy objects made by mahasiddha
including an ivory image of Samvara, a crystal stupa and the
texts containing the spiritual songs and biographies
composed by the successive mahasiddha. Panchen Naropa’s
footprint is also embedded in the rock and his sacred
spring.
Bardan
Monastery
Located on the
side of the Longneck River, its principal image is an Andhra
statue of the Buddha Maitreya, 2 feet in high, which is said
to have once spoken. The ruins of a monastery and a stupa
can still be seen on top of the mountain called Ha-Ha.
Stongde
Monastery
About 60 monks
reside here and every year sacred dance is performed the
festival of Gustor There are many kinds of exquisite shrines
and wall paintings displayed here.
The Castle
of Sani
It is considered
particularly sacred place as it was supposed to have been
visited and blessed by Padmasambhava of Oddhiyana. A
cemetery ground can be seen here with cemetery trees and
cemetery springs and also a footprint of Guru Nima Odzer. A
meditation cave and a footprint are visible in the centre of
the rock face on the opposite side of the River. Within the
castle there can be seen the numerous peerless paintings
executed by Zadpa Dorje.
The Castle
of Leh and the Temple of Namgial Tsemo
Leh was the
first of all the capital of King Takspa Bum-lde who built
the ‘Red Chapel’ containing the statue of the Buddha
Maitreya, three storeys in height with the statue of
Avalokitesvara & Manjusri on either side, each one storey in
height. He had the Sungbum Chenmo and many other sacred
texts written out in gold & silver as speech-supports. As a
mind- support he built, the stupa of Ti’u-Tashis Od-phro
containing 108 temples inside. The ruin of the stupa can be
seen to this day and is known to everyone as Tisuru.
The Leh Palace,
known as “ Lhachen Palkhar ‘ was built in 1600 and has 9
storeys. In the Leh valley, there is Sankar monastery, a
yellow stupa called the “ Mani Sermo’ and in the centre
there is the “ New monastery’ with a sacred image of the
Buddha Shakya
The architecturally striking Leh Mosque, in the main Bazaar
is a Sunni Muslim Mosque |
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