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Learn About Places Jammu Kashmir > Leh

Leh

Leh Jammu and Kashmir

Leh Palace :: The palace is distinguished monument and a historical building. The nine-storeyed palace was built by the 17th century illustrious ruler of Ladakh, Sengge Namgyal. It is an imposing structure, though in ruins now, situated on a hill and commands a grand view of the Leh town. The building in grand Tibetan architecture is said to have inspired the famous potala of Lahasa, built half a century later. Namgyal Tsemo, the peak overlooking the town, are the ruins of the fortbuilt, by the king Tashi namgyal in the 16th century, as a royal residence.In the ancient times the present Leh district was a part of Greater Ladakh spread over from Kailash Mansarover to Swaat (Dardistan). The Greater ladakh was neither under the Domain of Tibet or its influence. Not much information is available about the ancient History of Ladakh. However, reference about the place and its neighbourhood in Arab, Chinese and Mongolian histories gives an idea that in the 7th Century A.D fierce wars were fought by Tibet and China in Baltistan area of the Greater Ladakh in which deserts and barren mountains of Ladakh was turned into battle fields for the warring armies.

HISTORY OF LEH
In the 8th century A.D Arabs also jumped into these wars and changed their sides between China and Tibet. Around this period, the ruler of Kashmir, Laltadita conquered Ladakh. In the 8th Century A.D itself, The Arabs conquered Kashghar and established their control over Central asia which embraced Islam in the 9th century A.d and thus a buffer state came into being between Tibet and China, terminating the hostilities between the two warring countries. The greater Ladakh also fell into peices.The ancient inhabitants of Ladakh were Dards, and Indo-Aryan race from down the Indus. But immigration from Tibetmore than a thousand years ago largly overwhelmedthe culture of the Dards and moped up their racial characters. IN eastern and central Ladakh, todays population seems to be mostly of Tibet origin. Budhism reached Tibet from India via Ladakh. The area was the stronghold of Budhism before Islam reached Ladakh.A thousand years ago before the contol of Tibets rule, Raja Skitde Nemagon, ruled over Ladakh which was known as Muryul (Red Country), as most of the mountains and the soil in Ladakh wears a red tinge. In the 10th Century A.D Skitday Nemagon, along with a couple of hundred men, invaded Ladakh where there was no central authority. The Land was divided in small principalities, which were at war with each other. Nemagon defeated all of them and established a strong central authority. Those days Shey, was the capital of Ladakh became to be known as Nariskorsoom, a country of three provinces. The present Ladakh was divided into two provinces while the third comprised western Tibet. The area of western Tibet slipped away from the kingdom but was reunited in 16th Century A.D. by the famous Ladakhi ruler Sengge Namgyal. Ladakh was an independent country since the middle of 10th century.In the post-partition senario, Pakistan and China illegally occupied 78,114 sq. km and 37,555 sq.km of the state, respectively while the remaining part of the state acceeded to India. Pakistan also illegally gifted 5180 sq.kms of this area to China. Ladakh, comprising the areas of present Leh and Kargil districts, became one of the seven districts of the State. In 1979 when the reorganisation of the districts was carries out, the Ladakh district was divided into two full fledged of Leh and Kargil.

General Information

Leh at Glance
Area of Ladakh :: 45,110 Sq Kms.
Population :: 1,17,638
Villages :: 113
Tehsils :: 1
Community Dev. Block :: 6
Town :: 1
Panchyats :: 68
Education Institutions :: 265
Health Institutions :: 228
Villages electrified :: 98
Villages provide drinking water :: 112
Area under irrigation :: 12,800 hec
Literacy Rate :: 62.24%
Live Stock population :: 3,97,700 including 1 lac pashmina goats
Assembly segment :: 2 (Leh & Nubra)
Number of electorates :: 84,0113
Leh :: 72,226
Nobra ::11,847
Staple food :: Barley( Sattu)
Delicious soft drink :: Gurgur Tea

GEOGRAPHY :: Ladakh is a part of Jammu & Kashmir State in north of India consisting of two districts Leh and Kargil. Leh with an area of 45110 Sq Km makes it largest district in the country in terms of area. It is situated between 32 degree to 36 degree North Latitude and 75 degree to 80 degree East Longitude. The district is bounded by Pakistan occupied Kashmir in the West and China in the north and eastern part and Lahul Spiti of Himachal Pardesh in South East.It is at distance 434 Kms from Srinagar and 474 Kms from Manali. Leh district comprises of Leh town and 112 inhabited villages and one un-inhabited village. The total projected population of Leh is 1.17 lacs.

POPULATION :: Leh with an area of 45110 Sq. Km; which probably makes it largest district in the country in terms of area is one of the coldest and most elevated inhabited region of the world having 112 inhabited and 1 uninhabited villages. As per census of 1981 the population of the district is 0.684 lacs, which is estimated to have risen to 0.895 lacs during 1991. Population growth rate of 31.08% has been recorded during the decade 1971-81 in the district. As per 1981 census 87.25% population is residing in the rural area. The biggest ethnic group is Buddhist having 81.18% of population followed by Muslims with 15.32% and Hindus with 2.99%. The main working force account for 43.55% to the total population where as marginal workers account for 6.84 % and non-workers 49.61%. The main occupation engaging the working force is cultivation (58.48%), agriculture labour (7.36%), household industry (0.34%) and other works (33.32%)

CLIMATE
Ladakh lies on the rain shadow side of the Himalayan. Where dry monsoon winds reaches Leh after being robbed of its moisture in plains and the Himalayan mountain. The district combines the condition of both arctic and desert climate. Therefore Ladakh is often called “ COLD DESERT”

APPROACH

ROADS :: Ladakh is called the Hermit Kingdom due to its remoteness and in accessibility. Ladakh is connected to the main land through two roads namely Leh-Srinagar highway and Leh-Manali road. These two roads remains open only during summer months and during the winter it remains closed for more than 7 months due to closure of the passes (Zojila, Rotang Pass, Baralacha, Changla) . Leh District is connected to the Block Headquarter by roads, through a network of roads. The average distance of the block headquarter from Leh is 180 Kms. Bus services and other means of communication is very poor. Boarder roads organization maintains most of the high way connecting the block head quarter and PWD maintains a road length of 1060 Kms. As some of the roads to the block head quarter passes through the world highest motor able roads, it is frequently closed due to the avalanches and snowfall in the passes. Durbuk block and Nubra Block remains closed in winter months due to closure of Khardongla and the Changla Pass.

AIR SERVICES :: Then the only route accessible to Ladakh during the winter is air, Indian Air Lines operates three days in a week. More over in winter months the air services is not frequent as there is too many cancellations of flights due to fog in Delhi and Leh. Life in Ladakh comes to a stand still in winter months and remains cut off rest of the world.

HOW TO REACH :: Indian Airlines and Jet Airway cater to the need of world class Air services for the tourists. Leh, the principal town of Ladakh has now become gateway to the world by any connecting flight from Delhi one can fly in to Leh from abroad in a day as well. All through the year, there is air service from Delhi, Chandigarh, Jammu and Srinagar.

TREKKING IN LADAKH :: Ladakh offers very interesting trekking routes for trekkers. Trekking possibilities include short, day -long walks up and down mountain slopes to visit isolated villages or monastic settlements, or across a ridge to enjoy the sheer beauty of the lunar mountainscape. Or long, transmountain treks involving weeks of walking and camping the wilderness.Ladakh is rich in wildlife, you may come a across some rare species like gazelles, ibex, ammon or shapo etc. You are sure to see Yak and Demos grazing on mountain pastures. The mountain river can be the only sound in your solitude as it runs along your route. All these may go to make your trek in this region a memorable moment, the experience of the life time.

FAIR AND FESTIVALS.

The religious philosophy of Buddhism, however, profound and subtle doesn’t preclude an immense joie-de-vivre among its Ladakh adherents, and even solemn religious enactment’s are made the occasion for joyous celebration. Many of the festivals of the gonpas take place in winter, a relatively idle time for the majority of the people. They take the form of dance-dramas in the Gonpa courtyards. Lamas, robed in colourful garments and wearing often startlingly frightful mask, perform mimes representing various aspect of the religion such as the progress of the individual soul and its purification or the triumph of good over evil. Local people flock from near and far to these events, and the spiritual benefits they get are no doubt heightened by their enjoyment of the party atmosphere, with crowds of women and men, the opportunity to make new friendships and renew old ones, the general bustle and sense of occasion.The biggest and most famous of the monastic festivals, frequented by tourists and locals a like, is that of Hemis, which falls in late June or the first half of July, and is dedicated to Padmasambhava.Every 12 years, the gonpa’s greatest treasure, a huge thangka - a religious icon painted or embroidered on cloth- is ritually exhibited. The next unveiling is due to take place in AD 2004.Other monasteries which have summer festivals at Lamayuru( also early July), Phyang (Late July or early August), Tak-thok ( about tend days after Phyang) and Karsha in Zanskar( 11 days after Phyang). Like Hemis, the phyang festival too involves the exhibition of a gigantic thangka, though here it is done every year.   Spituk, Stok, Thiksay, Chemrey Matho all have their festivals in winter, between November and March. Likir and Deskit (Nubra) time their festivals to coincide with Dosmochey, the festival of the scapegoat, which is also celebrated with favour at Leh.Falling in the second half of February, Dosmoche is one of the two New Year festivals, the other being Losar. At Dosmoche, a great wooden mast decorated with streamers and religious emblems is set up outside Leh. At the appointed time, offerings of stoma, ritual figures moulded out of dough, are brought out and ceremonially cast away into the desert, or burnt. These scapegoats carry away with them the evil spirits of the old year, and thus the town is cleaned and made ready to welcome the New Year.Losar falls about the time of the winter solstice any time between 8th and 30th December.All Ladakhi Buddhist celebrate it by making offerings to the gods, both in the gonpas and in their domestic shrines.

LADAKH FESTIVAL :: The Department of Tourism spends a huge amount of Rs.16.00 Lacs for promotion of Tourism by way of holding a 15 days Ladakh Festival every year. The main aim of organising the same since last 7 years in the month of September is to extend the lean tourist season in the region and also to represent and prorogate the rich cultural heritage of the area. The grand success of the festival and the tremendous response from foreign tourists and home including the local people are due to the rich cultural heritage and variety of other attractive programmes like traditional Polo match and Village archery. The famous monastic dance in the monasteries including exhibitions of invaluable Thankas and other Ritual Instruments of the monasteries. The tourists have the opportunities to see the entire traditional cultural programme of the region like Traditional Folk dance and songs of the Nomads. The traditional folk songs and dance of Drokpas the pure Aryan race and many more different traditional folk dance and song of the village. The grand achievements of the Ladakh Festival are noticeable of the significant increase in the arrivals of tourists during the lean tourist season of the year.

BUDDHA MAHAOTSAVA FESTIVAL :: Two days multicolored cultural bonanza of Buddha Mahaotsava 2001 was held on 1st and 2nd of June 2001, starting from 700 years old, Deskit Monastery in procession with Ven. Monks, participating in their most attractive robes. The Festival first of its kind in the history of Ladakh, was organized by Department of Tourism in Collaboration with ministry of Tourism, Government of India with a view to present and propagate the rich cultural heritage of Ladakh.The festival has also extended its magnetic field to the foreign and home tourists to witness the colorful Buddhist Monastic Dance and Thanka exhibition in Deskit. Monastery including evening illuminations in the monastery followed by melodious tunes of ritual instrumental play. This year’s special attraction of the Festival was the performance of play on the life story of Lord Buddha by Party of Miss Anamika from Delhi.Tourists also enjoyed double humped camels and yaks ride in the Sand Dunes of Hunder village. In ancient days, Deskit was the main centre for meeting of Caravans travelling on the famous Silk Rout between India and Central Asia. The significance of the festival was commemorating the five important events in the life of Lord Buddha. The five main events of the day in Buddha’s life are:-

Buddha after hie Enlightenment at Budh Gaya preached his
First Sermon on Four Nobel Truths, at Sarnath in Banaras.
It was on the same day that Mayamaya devil, the mother of
Lord Buddha conceived Bodhisatvas Gotama in her womb.
Prince Siddharttha left his Kingdom and become acetic.
Prince Rahul, the Son of Siddharttha was born on the same day.
The commencement of the preaching of the Tavatinas heaven which took place in the 7th year of his Enlightenment.

SINDHU DARSHAN FESTIVAL :: Sindhu Darshan Festival 2001 was the fifth Annual Festival in the series and has infact became a movement signifying National Integration and unity among diversity. From this year, the festival will be held on fixed dates i.e from Ist of June to 3rd of June so that the domestic and foreign tourists could also join the event since the inception of Sindhu Darshan.

PLACES OF TOURIST INTEREST

The most attractive feature of the landscape of Ladakh are the Buddhist monasteries situated on the isolated hillock in the vicinity of villages, these aesthetically pleasing, architecturally interesting monasteries provide the focus for the faith of the highly religious Buddhist people. Monasteries are the places of worship, isolated meditation and religious instruction for the young. Many monasteries celebrate their annual festivals in winter, which are marked by gay mask dances. Monasteries have a wealth of artefacts, Lamayuru, the oldest religious centre of Ladakh, beats all other in sheer grandeur. In its uniqueness of wood carving, statues and frescoes, Alchi offers the highest rewards. The wealth of its possession and its annual summer festival make Hemis the most popular, while Thiksay rates high in terms of architectural impact and the beauty of the festival performances at Likir and Phyang with their proximity to Leh are great attractions in their favour while the accessibility of the Shey, Spituk and the Sankar monasteries make them suitable for visitors with time at a premium.
The approach to the monasteries is lined with mane walls and Chortens. Mane walls are made of votive stones on which prayers and holy figures are inscribed, while Chortens are semi religious shrines or reliquaries, containing relics of holy people or scripts. Besides monasteries, the 9 storey Leh Palace, Stok Palace Museum and the Central Institute of Buddhist Studies Choglamsar, Mosque and Moravian Church at Leh are added attraction for the tourists. Most of these can be conveniently visited from Leh as buses ply daily between Leh and those monasteries. Most of the monasteries remain open throughout the day.

THE CASTLE OF LEH AND THE TEMPLE OF NAMGIAL TSEMO :: Leh is the capital of Ladakh and there are many temples, castles and stupas here, which were built by the ancestral Dharmaraja. Leh was the Ist of all the capital of King Takspa Bum-lde who rules over the area of Stod, which included Leh from 2400 to 1430. It was he 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. As speech-supports he had the Sungbum Chenmo and many other sacred texts written out in gold & silver. As a mind- support he built, the stupa of Ti’u-Tashis Od-phro containing 108 temples inside. This he built on top of the so-called’ Yellow- Te’u Demon’ which had been harming the valley of Leh. The ruin of the stupa can be seen to this day and is known to everyone as Tisuru. Thereafter, the temple of Namgail Tsemo was built during the lifetime of King Tashi Namgial who rules from 1500 to 1532. He founded the village of Chubi.The festival of Dosmochey in Leh takes place every year in the 28th & 29th of the Tibetan 12th month. The monks of different monasteries are invited by turn to perform the ceremonies, which ensure health & prosperity. The monks of Takthok monastery come and erect a large thread-cross model (Dosmochey) after which the festival is named. Continuing on the Changspa Lane across the stream, you reach the start of the stiff climb up to the new white Japanese Shanti Stupa ( 1983). There are good views from the top. There is also a jeepable road.The architecturally striking Leh Mosque, in the main Bazaar is worth visiting. The Sunni Muslim Mosque is believed to stand on land granted by King Deldan Namgial in the 1660s, his grand mother was the Muslim Queen of Ladakh.

STOK PLACE & MONASTERY :: 15 Kms South of Leh at the West Bank of river Indus is the Royal Palace dating from the 1840s when the invading Dogra forces deposed the king of Ladakh. The Palace is a rambling building where only a dozen of the 80 rooms are used. The Palace Museum (3 rooms) is worth visiting. It is a show piece for the royal thankas (many 400 years old), crown jewels, dresses, coins, peraks encrusted with turquoise and lapis lazuli as well as religious objects. The monastery founded by Lama Lhawang Lotus in 14th century, a short distance away, has some ritual dance- mask (Guru Tseschu) held on the 9th and 10 th day of the Ist month of Tibetan calendar.

SHEY PLACE & MONASTERY :: King Deldan Namgial (1620 - 1640) built Shey palace in the beginning of the 17th century AD. The main image in the monastery is the 3- storey statue of Buddha Shakyamuni, made of copper guilt, which was made by King Deldan Namgail in the memory of his father Singay Namgail. The statue is the only of its kind in the region.

TRESTHANG MONASTERY :: It was build during the reign of King Singay Namgial, containing the two-storey statue of Buddha. (Shey Srubla) festival is also held here at Tresthang Gonpa. The rock- curved statue of five Buddhas can be seen below the Palace on the roadside.

THIKSAY MONASTERY :: Thiksay Gonpa, 18 Kms from Leh is the most beautiful of all monasteries in Ladakh, belongs to the Gelukpa order. The Gonpa was first build at Stakmo by Sherab Zangpo of Stod. Later the nephew of Sherab Zangpo, Spon Paldan Sherab, founded the Thiksay Gonpa on a hill top to north of Indus river in 1430 AD.There are sacred shrines and many precious objects to be seen there. Eighty monks are in residence. The successive reincarnations of the Skyabsje Khanpo Rinpoche act as incumbents of the monastery. Sacred dances are held at the time of the Gustor ritual, which is performed every year from the 17th to 19th day of the 9th month of Tibetan Calendar. Although there was a very large temple built in ancient times at Thiksay by Rinchen Zangpo, the Translator, now it is in ruins. What remains of the building and walls can be seen at the site of the temple which was called Lakhang Nyerma and which was dedicated to the goddess Dorje Chenmo.

STAKNA MONASTERY :: The Stakna monastery lies at a distance of 25 Kms from Leh on the Right Bank of the River Indus. The monastery formed part of the one of the many religious estates offered to the great scholar saint of Bhutan called Chosje Jamyang Palkar in about 1580 AD by the Dharmaraja Jamyang Namgial who had invited his to Ladakh.The monastery was built on a hill shaped like a tiger’s nose and so its name was given as Stakna (Tiger’s nose). The most important image in the monastery is that of the sacred Arya Avalokitesvara from Kamrup (Assam). There are about 30 monks in residence. The successive reincarnation of the Stakna Tulku act as the incumbents the monastery and they continue to fulfil the fine responsibility of upholding the teachings of the Dugpa order. The branch monasteries attached to Stakna are those of Mud and Kharu and those of Stakrimo, Bardan and Sani in Zanskar.

HEMIS MONASTERY :: 47 Kms from Leh on the west bank of the Indus, the monastery belongs to Dugpa Order, built on a green hillside surrounded by spectacular mountain scenery, is hidden in a gorge. It is the biggest and wealthiest monastery in Ladakh and is a must for visitors. Sacred musk dance is performed on 9th and 10th day of the Tibetan 5th month. During the Hemis Tsechu held in the year of the Monkey it is possible to se the sacred appliqué- work tapestry wrought with pearls the depicts the precious teacher. Padmasambhava.Next display of great Thanka will be in 2004.Within the monastery there are to be seen a copper-gilt statue of the Lord Buddha, various stupas made of gold and silver, sacred thankas and many objects. The monastery was founded by the 1st incarnation of Stagsang Raspa Nawang Gyatso in 1630, which was invited to Ladakh by the king Singay Namgial and offered him a religious estate through out the region.There is a pleasant 3 Kms walk, on the side of the mountain above the monastery there is a sacred hermitage founded by the great Gyalwa Kotsang where there can be seen his meditation cave, his foot-print and hand - print on the rock and sacred shrines. This Kotsang is an old hermitage, which was founded many years before the Hemis Monastery. A stay in Hemis over night enables you to attend early morning prayers, a moving experience and strongly recommended.

CHEMDAY MONASTERY :: Chemday monastery is situated 40 Kms east of Leh. The monastery is situated there on the mountain side and was founded 365 years ago by Lama Tagsang Raschen with the Dharmaraja Singey Namgial acting as patron. There is a sacred image of Padmasambhava to be seen there, one storey in height. There are, furthermore, many shrines. A custom exists whereby every year on the 28th & 29th days of the 9th Tibetan month sacred dances are performed in association with the festival of an initiatory ritual. The successive reincarnations of Lama Tagsang Raschen act as the incumbents.

TAKTHOK MONASTERY :: The monastery of Takthok is situated in the village of Sakti at a distance of 46 Kms from Leh. Before the monastery was founded there was a meditation cave of a Mahaadiddha called Kunga Phuntsog. After him, during the lifetime of the Dharmaraja Tsewang Namgial, 31st, in the line of the royal dynasty. Since the roof and walls of the monastery are all made of rock, it was given that name Takthok (rock-roof), There is a custom of holding sacred dances & the ceremony of hurling a votive offering during the festival of an initiatory ritual on the 9th & 10th days of the 6th Tibetan month. At present the Taklung Tulku administers it.

MATHO MONASTERY :: Matho is situated at a distance of 26 kms Southeast of Leh on the opposite bank of the River Indus. There is a monastery, which belongs to the Saskya Order. A Lama Dugpa Dorje founded it about five hundred years ago. Shrines and also a sacred temple dedicated to the guardian deities are to be seen there. A festival called the “ Matho Nagrang ‘ takes place there every year on the 14th and 15th day of the 1st Tibetan month. All the monks perform sacred dances and two gods known as the Rongtsan make their appearance. There is no incarnate being who acts as incumbent. However, Loding Khan Rinpoche is acting present performing the functions of an incumbent.

SPITUK MONASTERY :: 8 Kms from Leh, the monastery standing on a conical hill with 3 chapels was founded in the 11th century by Od-de the elder brother of Lha Lama Changchub Od, when he come to Maryul.He introduced a monastic community. When Rinchen Zangpo, the translator came to that place he said that an exemplary religious community would arise there and so the monastery was called Spituk (Exemplary). That time it belonged to the Kadampa School. Then during the lifetime of Dharmaraja Takspa Bum- Lde Lama Lhawang Lotus restored the monastery and the stainless order of Tsongkhapa was introduced and it has remained intact as such up till the present. The Principal statue is that of the lord Buddha.Within this status there is a sacred image of Amitayus, about the finger length in height, presented to Kind Takspa Bum-Lde by the great Tsongkhapa. Every year from the 27th to 29th days of the Tibetan 11th month the sacred dance associated with the festival of the Gustor are held. Stok Monastery, Sankar monastery and Saboo monastery are branches of Spituk Monastery. The incumbents of all these monasteries are the successive reincarnations of Skyabsje Bakula Rinpoche. The monastery is belonging to Gelugpa Order. There are about 100 monks in the monastery of Spituk.

PHYANG MONASTERY :: Phyang is situated 17 kms west of Leh. The site for the monastery there formed part of one of the many monastic estates Offered to Chosje Damma Kunga from Digung during the time of Dharmaraja Jamyang Namgial, who had invited the former to Ladakh.A monastery called Tashi Chozong was founded in 1515 there on the hill of Phyang and a monastic community introduced. It marked the 1stestablishment of the Digung teachings in Ladakh, teachings whose traditions began with Skyoba Jigsten Gonbo, Within the monastery there are sacred shrines and various wall paintings are to be seen which date from the royal period. The protective of the monastery is Apchi Choski Dolma.Every year from the 2nd to 3rd of the 6th month the sacred dances and the hurling of votive offering associated with the festival of (Gang-sngon Tsedup) are held. The successive reincarnation of Skyabje Toldan Rinpoche acts as the incumbents of the monastery.

THE CASTLE OF BASGO :: Basgo lies at a distance of 42 Kms west of Leh.The castle known as Basgo Rabtan Lhartsekhar is situated there on a hill of clay. The Dharmaraja Jamyang Namgial and Singay Namgial, father and son built it. The Principal image there is that of the so-called’Golden Maitreya,’ a sacred copper-gilt image of the Buddha Maitreya, two storey in height. The Dharmaraja Singey Namgail as funerary build it to his father, king Jamyang Namgial.There is also an image of the Buddha Maitreya made of clay three storeys in height, which can be seen at the top of the castle. The ruins of a temple and a stupa build by Rinchen Zangpo, the translator can also be seen.

RIZONG MONASTERY :: 73 Kms from Leh, the monastery of Rizong was built in 1831 by the great Lama Tsultim Nima.The monastery upholds the teachings of the great Tsongkhapa.Dress and food provisions are provided for all members of the community by the governing body of the monastery. Nothing other than religious robes and books is permitted for the inmates of each cell. There are 40 monks in residence. The incumbents of the monastery are the successive reincarnations of Lama Tsultim Nima and of his son, Sras Rinpoche. Within the monastery there are shrines, the painting blocks of the biography of Lama Tsultim Nima, many objects made and books composed by the 1st Sras Rinpoche. The monastery is sited in a most solitary position. 2 Kms below it there is a nunnery called Chulichan (Chomoling) where about 20 nuns reside. The governing body of Rizong Monastery provides their food provisions and clothes. The walk of spinning wool, milking, extracting oil for the temple lamps and so forth has to be performed by all the nuns.

LIKIR MONASTERY :: Likir lies at a distance of 62 Kms west of Leh. During the time of Lhachen Gyalpo, the fifth king of Ladakh, a religious estate and the land on which to build the monastery was offered to Lama Duwang Chosje, a great champion of meditation. The Lama blessed the site and in 1065 the monastery was built. The monastery was encircled by the bodies of the two great serpent spirits, the naga- rajas (Nanda & Taksako) and so its name became widely renowned as Likir (The Naga - Encircled). In the 15th Century the disciple of Khasdubje known as Lhawang Lodos Sangphu caused the monastery to flourish. The monastery was brought into the order of the great Lama Tsongkhapa and up till present times the ritual and observances of the three basic Pratimoksa disciplines, which from the basic of Buddhist teachings, are preserved. There are many blessed shrines in this monastery and there resides a protective deity wearing golden armour and of stern command.Every year from the 27th to 29th of 12 th Tibetan month the votive offerings known as Dosmochey are assembled and sacred dances are performed. The successive reincarnations of Naris Rinpoche act as the incumbents of the monastery.

ALCHI MONASTERY :: Although there are a great many temples, caves and stupas built in Ladakh by Rinchen Zangpo, Translator, Alchi Choskor is the large and most famous of all of them. Alchi is situated at a distance of 67 Kms west of Leh, founded by Rinchen Zangpo, Translator, in 1000 AD. The sacred temples, to be seen there include the Principal one of the Rinchen Lhakhang, at Lotsa Lhakhang, the Jamyang Lhakhang (Manjusri temple) and the sumtsag Lhakhang. The main image is that of Vairocana but there can also been seen the five Buddha Families together with their attendant deities, The paintings are not like the Tibetan style but rather they are executive according to the Indian tradition. In order to build these temples Rinchen Zangpo, the Translator is said in the various biographies to have brought with him from Kashmir (thirty-two sculptors and wood carvers). Other temples built by Rinchen Zangpo, Translator are to be found at Mangu and Sumda each containing a sacred image of Vaironica, various most beautiful images of the Buddhas and Bodhisatvas and many kinds of lovely paintings. They are also included among the 108 temples built by Rinchen Zangpo, the Translator, within the province of Naris Skorsum.

LAMAYURU MONASTERY :: Lamayuru Monastery is situated 127 Kms west of Leh. In the 11th century the mahasiddha Naropa came to this place and the cave where he resided and meditated is still to be seen today. Then Rinchen Zangpo, the Translator came to build many temples and stupas and so the teaching of the Kadampa School came to flourish greatly there. There after, for many years the monastery was administered by the Zhwa-mar-pa (Red Hats), after which the Dharmaraja Jamyang Namgial offered it to Chosje Danma, whom he had invited to Ladakh. The rituals and observances of the Digung Kargyud School were introduced and the monastery received the name of Yungdrung Tharpaling.The successive reincarnation of Skyabsje Toldan Rinpoche acts as the incumbents of the monastery. There is a custum whereby each year on the 17th & 18th of the 5th Tibetan month the festival of the so-called (Yuru Kabgyad) is held during which dances are performed. In this monastery there are various shrines to be seen, including thangkas and wall paintings.

WANLA MONASTE :: Wanla is situated close by Yungdrung to the Southeast. This old monastery was built in 1000 AD.during the time of Lama Rinchen Zangpo, the translator. The famous image of the 11 headed Mahakaruna (Avalkitesvara), built to a height of more than two storeys, is to be seen there. On the wall paintings there are depicted the Buddhas, Boddhisattvas, the Mandala and so forth. There is also a sacred image of Chovo-je-Paldan Atisha.

THE CASTLE OF TINGMOSGANG :: Tingmosgang lies at a distance of about 92 Kms west of the Leh.This castle was built at the time when Gragpa Bum, Younger brother of Takspa Bum-Lde, the 17rth king of the Ladakhi dynasty, was ruling over Sham in accordance with religious tenets. About 50 years have elapsed since its construction. Contemporary to this was the Red Chapel “ Tsuglagkhang Marpo “ containing an image of the Buddha Maitreya to the height of 3 storeys. In particular it was at those times that the self-originated image of Avalokitesvara from Kamrup was brought & installed inside the castle of Tingmosgang. The image is considered to be a most excellent object of pilgrimage which leads to the accumulation of great merit and to which prostration and oblations have been offered by the successive Dharmaraja of Ladakh and by the whole populations of Ladakh.

KARCHA MONASTERY ZANSKAR :: Karcha is the largest of all monasteries in Zanskar. Karcha Chamspaling to give its full name was first established by Phagspa Shesrab, the translator of Zanskar.The Teacher Dorje Shesrab who caused it to flourish built the present monastery. Shesrab Zangpo of Stod introduced the order of Tsongkhapa there. More than 100 monks are in residence. There are shrines and in particular, the wall paintings executed by the Lama Dzadpa Dorje. The Bone relics of Dorje Rinchen are also to be seen. Every year on the 28th & 29th days of the 6th Tibetan month the tradition of sacred dance is observed in association with the Gustor festival. In that place there are also two temples built by Rinchen Zangpo, the translator known as the Thugsjechhenpoi Lhakhang and the Lhakhang Karpo.Close by 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 :: Zongkul is a sacred place of meditation, founded by the great mahasiddha Naropa, who when he was residing in his meditation cave (where his staff is still preserved) which is situated on the high and splendid rock face above the present monastery, he struck his ritual dagger in to the rock as a sign that he would found the monastery. The mahasiddha went there and founded the monastery. There after it became the sacred place of meditation for all the mahasiddha of Zanskar, including Dubchen Kunga Gyatso, Dubchen Nawang Tsering, Dzadpa Dorje, Karmapa, Kunga Choslag and lama Norboo. Inside the monastery there are to be seen many kinds of sacred shrines including the holy objects made by all those mahasiddha mentioned above, such as: an ivory image of Samvara, a crystal stupa and the texts containing the spiritual songs and biographies composed by the successive mahasiddha. Inside the meditation cave there is Panchen Naropa’s footprint embedded in the rock and his sacred spring

BARDAN MONASTERY :: The side of the Lungnak River situates Barden monastery at 8 miles distance from the capital of Zanskar Padum on top of a high cliff. The Lama Barapa founded it in 1270. The Principal image is a Gandhara statue of the Buddha Maitreya, 2 feet in high, which is said to have spoken. The Bodhisattva Deba Gyatso founded the present monastery. Since it was the seat (gdan-sa) of Lama Barapa its name became Bardan.The ruins of a monastery and a stupa can still be seen on top of the mountain called Thar-Lha.

STONGDE MONASTERY :: Stongde monastery is renowned as having been founded by Lama Lhodak Marpa Choski Lodos in 1052 and its name is also Marpaling. Later, Shakya Zangpo of Stongde caused it to flourish. Lama Gyaltsanpa Tundup Palzangpo introduced there the order of Tsongkhapa.There is many kinds of most beautiful shrines and wall paintings to be seen there. About 60 monks are in residence and every year sacred dance are performed in conjunction with the festival of Gustor which takes place on the 28th & 29th days of the 11th Tibetan month. The successive reincarnations of Nari Tulku act as the incumbent. It seems about 960 years have gone by since the monastery was founded.

THE CASTLE OF SANI :: Not only in Sani a particularly sacred place due to its having been visited and blessed by Padmasambhava of Oddhiyana but it is also prophesied to be equal and importance to the cemetery of Dechendal in India. There can be seen a cemetery ground with cemetery trees and cemetery springs and also a footprint of Guru Nima Odzer. In the centre of the rockface on the opposite side of the River there can be seen a meditation cave and a footprint. It is said that the Guru stayed there practicing meditation for many years. In Sani is also the great Stupa of Kanishka founded in 124 AD. By king Kanishka and the sacred of Naropa which can be seen on the day of the pilgrimage to Sani which occurs in the 6th Tibetan month. Within the castle there can be seen the various and most beautiful wall paintings which were executed by Zadpa Dorje.