5 Must Visit Buddhist Monasteries In Ladakh For Inner Peace

Spirituality is an innate part of Ladakh, for how else do you think this otherwise remote destination with the unpredictable weather condition, would have survived to the present day? Indeed, a supreme power is watching over it, and you can really feel it the moment you enter this starkly beautiful destination encapsulated by the lofty bare mountains and dotted with sacred Buddhist monasteries. In fact, Ladakh boasts a plethora of mesmerizing monasteries or Gompas that confirms my assertion of gods taking care of this must-visit travel destination. This region of the state of Jammu & Kashmir flaunts monasteries like Hemis, which is the richest monastery in the world, in terms of the collection of Thangkas and scripts. Ladakh monasteries date back to the 11th century, hence one has just so much to witness, learn, and take back home as an experience. So come along with me, as I give you a glimpse of some of the must-see Buddhist temples in Ladakh.

* Hemis Monastery

Belonging to the dragon order, Hemis Monastery monastery is one of the famous Buddhist temples and is considered as one of the richest in Ladakh as well. Inside the monastery there is an imposing statue of Guru Rinpoche- an 8th-century Indian Buddhist master. Also, an idol made up of gilded copper of Lord Buddha is present. Revered thangkas are made up of copper, gold, and silver. During the famous Hemis festival, these thangkas are put on public display. This festival is a two-day event and is celebrated on the 10th day of lunar moon according to the Tibetan calendar (in June/July). It is celebrated on the occasion of the birth of the Buddhist Lord Padmasambhava who is reckoned to be the founder of Vajrayana Buddhism in Ladakh.

* Thiksey Monastery

Referred to as “Mini Potala”, Thiksey monastery resembles Potala Palace in Tibet in its architecture. This sacred place of worship belongs to the Geluka order and is situated on a top of a hill in Thiksey village. There are various rooms for the monks, an assembly hall, ten temples and a nunnery in this 12 level structure. Amongst these temples, there is a two-level giant statue of Maitreya Buddha (the expected future Buddha) which is one of the largest statues in Ladakh. This monastery is considered as one of the largest in Ladakh and is painted in red, white and yellow giving a beautiful view of Thiksey Valley.

* Diskit Monastery

Falling under the Gelugpa Sect or the yellow hat sect of Tibetan Buddhism, Diskit Monastery is the largest and the oldest Buddhist religious home in Nubra Valley. In the hall of this monastery, there is a statue of Cho Rinpoche- the crowned Buddha along with a giant Buddha sitting and facing towards Pakistan over a hilltop. Dosmoche or Desmochhey is the ‘Festival of Scapegoat,’ which is celebrated as the triumph of good over evil. This festival is celebrated in winters when the Khardong Peak is covered in snow but people of Nubra valley gather around to watch the popular mask dance. It is a dance performed by the lamas of the monastery during this festival and is also known as Cham dance.

* Alchi Monastery

Considered as one of the famous Buddhist temples in Ladakh and oldest learning center for monks as well, Alchi Monastery is a complex of monasteries. Located 70 km from Leh in the Alchi village, this complex consists of various ancient monuments which are dated to different time period. This monastery was founded by Guru Rinchen Zangpo during 958-1055 and is supervised by the management of Likir Monastery. Idols of the three adjoining villages- Alchi, Mangyu and Sumda Chun are considered fine pieces of artwork that have a unique style. This monastery complex has two main temples- Zumsteg and Manjushri with a grand assembly hall. Manjushri temple will require you to first enter the Dukhang or the assembly hall. The temple got its name after being built around the idols of Manjushri looking at all four directions and seated back to back. In the Zumsteg temple, presence of Kashmiri essence can be felt because most of the artwork was done by Kashmiri artists.

* Lamayuru Monastery

Resembling a cave, Lamayuru Monastery is built on a land whose surface is similar to the moon’s surface. Being built at the same time of Alchi Monastery, Lamayuru belongs to the Red Hat sect of Tibetan Buddhism. This monastery consists of five buildings, which with time have become just ruins. This monastery is situated at an elevation of 3510 meters and is on Srinagar-Leh highway. The 11th century monastery is the residence of 150 monks and is locally referred to as Yung-Drung. A rich collection of artifacts, statues, carpets, wall paintings, thangkas, etc, make it a reason for visit to this marvel. However, the main attraction of this monastery, other than its architecture, is an 11-headed and 1000 eyed image of Chenzing. This place holds a strong history of its existence. According to the legend, an Indian scholar named Mahasiddha Acharya Naropa intentionally dried up the source lake of the town. After that, he established the monastery by placing the base stone. At the southern end of the monastery, there is the oldest temple called as Seng-ge-sgang.