Ladakh has majority of Buddhist community due to which a large number of monasteries are situated as religious centers. Moreover Monks with red robes resides in these monasteries for meditation & solemnity. People come here to find the inner peace & circumambulate these monasteries and stupas.
If you are planning for Leh Ladakh Tour Packages then you should also add some monasteries in your Itineraries comprising snow-capped mountains, sprawling cold deserts, sparkling lakes, surreal glaciers, and serene mountain passes.
Swastik Holiday suggesting a List of Monasteries in Ladakh that you must visit during your vacations to find the inner peace & meditation & .
Hemis Monastery
Hemis monastery is one of the most popular Buddhist Monastery in Ladakh. It is situated in Nubra valley at a distance of 45 km from Leh Town. Ladakhi king Sengge Namgyal re-established this monastery during 1672. It is the largest & wealthiest Buddhist monasteries in Leh and Tibet and a spiritual center of the Drukpa lineage.
Hemis Monastery reflecting various aspects of Buddhist culture such as Buddha statue of copper, Stupas, beautiful paintings, articles and amazing Thangka. Every year a large number of Tourists visit this monastery from all over the world. They celebrate Hemis Festival (June-July) which is dedicated to Lord Padmasambhav.
Thiksey Monastery
Thiksey monastery is Located 19 km east of Leh town. It has a striking resemblance to Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet at an altitude of 11,800 feet. The Monastery was established in 15th century during the period of Gelugpa Expansion. So the monastery is looked after by the people of Gelugpa sect. It is one of the largest and beautiful monasteries in Ladakh rising tier upon tier on a mountain cliff.
It comprises a 12-storey building complex and houses more than 500 monks. The monastery is famous for a 15 meter height statue of Maitreya Buddha or Future Buddha. Thiksey monastery has a large and precious collection of Buddhist books, journals, statues, scripts, stupas, swords, and Thangka paintings. If you wish to spend some time in peace & tranquil then you should stay in Thiksey Monastery in Ladakh.
Diskit Monastery
It is founded in 14th century by Changzem Tsera Zangpo that belongs to the Gelugpa sect of Tibetan Buddhism. There are many monasteries in Ladakh to stay. Diskit is one of the most beautiful and the oldest Buddhist monasteries located in the Nubra Valley. It has various Buddha statues, images of other guardian Gods, and a huge drum. It one of the famous monasteries in Ladakh due to its breathtaking location.
The Diskit Monastery offers solemn serenity and inner peace. Dosmochey festival is celebrated at Diskit monastery. People from different villages come to Nubra valley to watch the monks mask dance performance.
Spituk Monastery
Spituk Monastery is also known as Spituk Gompa or Pethup Gompa and situated in spituk. It is located at an elevation of 10,852 ft from sea level & 8 Kms from Leh. It was founded in the 11th Century by Od-de. When Lotsewa Rinchen Zangpo came here he said that an exemplary religious community would arise here. so the monastery was called spituk. The monastery was founded as a Red Hat institution but taken over by the Yellow Hat sect in the 15th century. The monastery contains 100 monks and a giant statue of Kali. Gustor is a famous Festival that held at Spituk every year.
Likir Monastery
Likir Monastery or Likir Gompa is a most important Buddhist Monastery in Ladakh. It is situated in the Likir village near the Indus River on a little hill at an elevation of 3700 meter from sea level. It is approx. 52 Kms west to Leh however 9 Kms north to the “Srinagar-Leh Highway”. It was established in 11th century by The King “Lhachen Gyalpo”, who belongs to the Gelugpa sect of Tibetan Buddhism. The monastery has two assembly halls (Dukhangs) with six rows of seats for the lamas and a throne for the Head Lama of Likir. The Dukhangs contain statues of Bodhisattva, Amitabha, three large statues of Sakyamuni, Maitreya and Tsong Khapa, and a75 feet high gold statue of Maitreya Buddha situated on the roof. Likir monastery also has a collection of old manuscripts, Thangka, Old costumes and earthen pots.
Alchi Monastery
Alchi Monastery is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Ladakh. It is a branch of Likir Monastery. This is one of the largest and most reputed monasteries of Ladakh . The monastery complex was built on a plain land by the great translator Guru Rinchen Zangpo. It was founded in 11th Century which comprises in three sections. Firstly is Dukhang (Assembly Hall), secondly is The Sumtsek (Three-storied temple that was built in Kashmiri style) and thirdly is the temple of Manjushree. The complex has huge statues of the Buddha and collection of ancient sculpture, books, paintings, wood carvings and art-work.
Shey Monastery
In this Paragraph we will focus on Shey Monastery and Shey Palace complex which are located on a tophill in Shey. The Monastery is located 15 Kms away in south from Leh at Leh-Manali road. Firstly It was built by Lachen Polygon in the 10th century near shey village. During 16th Century, Mughal Noble “Mirza Haidar Dughlat” attacked on Ladakh and stayed at this Palace or Gompa. The Deldan Namgyal also built current Shey Palace and Monastery below the old one in 17th Century. The Monastery has a giant gold statue of Buddha Sakyamuni that is the second largest Buddha statue in Ladakh.
Lamayuru Monastery
Lamayuru is one of the oldest and largest Buddhist monasteries in Ladakh known as ‘Tharpa Ling’, founded in the 11th century. It is located 115 km from Leh on the Leh-Srinagar national highway on Steep Mountain above the valley of the main road descending from Fotu La pass to Khalse. Lamayuru Gompa is believed to be the oldest and most picturesque monastery in central Ladakh. The main dukhang is built around the entrance of a cave in which “Naropa” rested and meditated in the 11th century. A holy mask dance has performed by the monks in this monastery at every 5th month of the Tibetan Lunar Calendar.
Phuktal Monastery
In this Paragraph we will discuss about the “Phuktal Monastery” that is built around a natural cave. Phuktal means ‘the cave of leisure’ or ‘the cave of liberation’. As like its name, It is believed that sages, scholars, translators, and monks has been visited from many decades for peace and meditation. Phuktal Gompa is one of the only buddhist monasteries in Ladakh where can still be reached only by foot. The Monastery is located in the Lungnak Valley in the Himalayan region and was established in the 15th century by Jangsem Sherap Zangpo. This Monastery is looked after by the renowned scholars or teachers who lives in the cave.
Karsha Monastery
Karsha Monastery or Karsha Gompa is a Buddhist monastery in Ladakh founded by the translator, Phagspa Shesrab. The Monastery situated in the Padum Valley of Zanskar region. It cares under the Gelugpa Order or the Yellow Hat Order. This is the most important & largest monastery in Zanskar. It has ancient rock-carvings, Avalokiteshvara temple, old structures, the Chuk-shik-jal and wall paintings that associated it with the era of Rinchen Zangpo. An orange clothes painting typical embroidered with gold and colored thread Looks like Buddha surrounded by his tutelary deities.
In Conclusion
Leh Ladakh is one of the best places to seek salvation and meditation in your life. so if you love interesting monuments doesn’t miss the serene and stunning beauty above all Monasteries in Leh Ladakh during your vacation.
