Ladakh,
the Abode of Mountains, of scenic beauty, of the Indus and the Zanskar, and of
Adventure. Beyond these, it has a deep rooted culture in Buddhism which is
reflected in its Monasteries scattered across the land. Most of these
Monasteries are located some distance away from the city hub, in all
probability on a Mountain peak so as to allow its inhabitants the peace of
meditation. Each Monastery belongs to a particular sect such as the Yellow Hat
or the Red Hat and they follow their own way of life. Thangkas, Wall
paintings, Stupas, Statues, and Religious Artifacts are some the items you may
find in a Monastery. Earlier monasteries in Ladakh region were command and
control points for the region. Monasteries controlled and owned large tracts of
land and there by the agricultural produce. Conflicts with rival sects of
monasteries for political and material control were common. They had to protect
its inhabitants and its wealth from rival attacks. Monasteries that flourished
during this period evolved their complexes as small fortress perched on
strategic height, utilizing the terrain and reinforcing it with thick
peripheral walls to form a protected inner core
Lamayuru is one of the largest and oldest
Gompas in Ladakh, situated in Kargil district on
Srinagar- Leh highway in a valley pass. This
area is also known for its MoonLand, the odd yellow coloured landscape
resembling the surface of the Moon which has become an equal tourist
attraction. As per legend, this valley used to be a lake at the time of Sakyamuni
(a reincarnation of the Buddha) with Holy serpents residing in it. A
Buddhist scholar from Nalanda University, the MahaSidhachrya Naropa, came here in search of his guru Tilopa. He meditated for years in one of the caves, and through his
penance a crack developed in the hillside surrounding the lake. The lake
gradually dried out over a period of time and revealed a dead Lion. The MahaSidhachrya constructed the first Gompa at this very site which came to be
known as the Singhe Ghang (Lion
Mound). The Gompa gradually expanded over a period of time and 5 other
buildings were constructed to house its monks.
The monastery has a good collection
of Thangkas, though you may not be able to capture this memory as photography
is not permitted within the confines of the Monastery. Lamayuru also hosts a
masked dance, the Yundrung Kabgyad festival which takes place on the 17th
and 18th day of the 5th month of Tibetan lunar calendar which falls in the
month of July. The monks from the monasteries of the nearby areas also come to
take part in the celebrations. At one time the Monastery used to house 400
monks, the number has now dwindled to 150. Of the 5 original buildings, only
one survives.
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| A group of young Lamas in the Monastery |
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| A view of Moon Land from the Monastery |
Next
stop the Likir Monastery which is located approximately 52km West of Leh.
It is situated on a hill top in the valley with the Indus flowing behind it. It belongs
to the Gelugpa sect of Tibetan Buddhism (of the yellow-hat sect)
and was established in 1065 by Lama Duwang Chosje, under the
command of the fifth king of Ladakh, Lhachen Gyalpo (Lha-chen-rgyal-po). The
name Likir basically means "The Naga - Encircled", representing the 2
great serpent spirits, Nanda and Taksako.
The
monastery has two assembly halls, known as Dukhangs and the older one is
located on the right of the central courtyard with six rows of seats for the
lamas and a throne for the Head Lama of Likir. The Dukhangs contain statues of
Bodhisattva, Amitabha, 3 large statues of Sakyamuni, Maitreya and Tsong Khapa,
founder of the sect. The Dukhang contains glass-fronted bookcases and is
a repository of old manuscripts, has a notable thangka collection and old
costumes and earthen pots. Sitting on the roof is a 75ft high gilded gold
statue of Maitreya (the future) Buddha. It was completed in 1999. A
ladder leads out of the hall, followed by a doorway into the courtyard which in
turn leads to the Zinchun, which is the head lama's room which contains mainly
thangkas and images of lamas
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