Kibber - the highest habitated village in the world

Located at a height of 4205m in the Spiti valley, the highest Habitated village in the world is connected by a motorable road to the rest of the world. It is located 16km from Kaza, one of the most populous and prominent villages in Spiti and has a bus service during summer months. It lies in a narrow valley on the summit of a limestone rock. The village has around 80 houses, made of stone instead of mud or brick elsewhere in the valley. Houses are constructed in the traditional Tibetan architectural style, as the land in prone to earthquakes. The rooftop is covered with a layer of dried branches or twigs to serve both as a cushion and insulation during snowfall. So as the winters worsen here, the village folks migrate to warmer locales downtown.

It has its own polling station for elections, a civil dispensary, a community television set, School, Post office and Telegraph office. A Monastery and the Kibber wildlife sanctuary are added attractions for a casual tourist. The main occupation is Agriculture and lush green potato fields are in abundance

Monasteries of Ladakh

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 across the Moonland  

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.

A group of young Lamas in the Monastery

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