How to reach here:
By Air: Different airline services provide regular services from Leh to Delhi, Jammu and Srinagar and return.
By Rail: Jammu is the nearest railway station, which is about 734 km from Leh.
Best time to visit: June to September.
Languages spoken: Ladakhi, Purig, Tibetan, Hindi and English.
Must eat: Momos ,Thukpa and Butter tea made with Yak's milk.
Famous Restaurants: La Pizzeria, Chopsticks, Summer Harvest.
Places you must visit:
Leh Palace is similar in construction to the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet. This palace was constructed by King Sengge Namgyal during the 17th century. By mid-19th century, this place got abandoned due to the annexation of Ladakh by Dogra forces. This annexation led the royal family living in this palace to move to the famous Stok Palace.This palace is currently ruined, and is undergoing restoration by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). There are nine storeys in this palace. The royal family lives in the upper floors, while store rooms along with stables are present in the lower floors.
Sun Temple is a very famous temple in Ladakh, which is dedicated to the Sun God, Bhaskar. It is a mediaeval temple, which was constructed by King Lalitaditya for commemorating the Sun God. There is a colonnaded courtyard at this temple along with the main shrine. Visitors can also see around 84 columns that were used for building this temple.It was also built using hard and square limestone, which acts as a reminder of the architectural style of the bygone era.
Jama Masjid is one of the historical mosques in Ladakh, which is situated in the heart of Leh, the capital of the state. It is considered to be the biggest mosques in the region and houses a memorial known as Shahi Hamdan. This memorial is dedicated to a Muslim Sufi Saint named Mir Syed Ali Hamdani. The Jama Masjid was constructed as a part of an agreement between the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb and the then ruler of Ladakh, Deldan Namgyal in 1666-67.
Shey Gompa is situated on a hillock on Shey.In the past, Shey was the summer capital of Ladakh and is presently in ruins. This monastery was constructed in 1655 by King Deldan Namgyal, better known as Lhachen Palgyigon.King Deldan Namgyal constructed this monastery in memory for his father, Singay Namgyal. This monastery is also known for its giant copper and gilded gold statue of Shakyamuni Buddha. It is the second largest statue in Ladakh, which is managed by the monks of Hemis monastery.
Hemis Monastery is popularly known as Hemis Gompa, which was built during the reign of King Sengge Namgyal in 1630. Presently, this Gompa is run by Drukpa sect of Buddhism, which once flourished during the Namgyal dynasty. There are two main portions in the monastery, namely Tshongkhang and Dukhang.Visitors can see beautiful wall paintings in the veranda of this Gompa that depict the 'Kalachakra' and the 'Lords of the Four Quarters'. There is also an idol of Sakyamuni Buddha at this monastery that attracts a lot of devotees.
Dukhang was believed to have been constructed by Kal-dan Shes-rab of Tibetan descent in the later period of the 11th century. The entrance to the courtyard is accessible by elaborately carved doorways, which are covered with carvings of tiny Bodhisattvas and guardian figures. The prime attraction of this ancient shrine is image of Vairocana, the Buddha resplendent. In addition to this, the main image is beautifully surrounded by four main Buddha manifestations.The walls of beautiful Alchi's Temple are decorated with wall paintings and murals that express a rare combination of indigenous colours. Dotted with numerous attendant figures, animals and sacred symbols, the south wall above the doorway possesses images of Mahakala, great time, timelessness, deathlessness or eternity.Various colours are used to depict different qualities of the four main manifestations of Buddha. Buddha in blue represents Akshobya or unshakable and in yellow represents Ratnasambhava or Jewel Born. Moreover, Buddha in red depicts Amitabha or boundless radiance, while in green depicts Amoghasiddhi or unfailing success.
Spangmik is situated on the southern shore at distance of around 7 km from the Pangong Lake. Tourists can avail beautiful views of mountains of the Chang-Chenmo Range and snow-capped peaks of the Pangong Range from the village. Apart from this, several glaciers located on the north west of the Pangong Lake are also visible from the village.
General Zorawar’s Fort is widely called as Riasi Fort, and is situated in the Rajouri District. This fort is known to preserve the private wealth collected by the Dogra rulers in Jammu. It is presently in ruins and overlooks the famous Chenab River. It was later named after General Zorawar Singh, who is remembered for his struggle against the Chinese rulers.
Shanti Stupa refers to a peace pillar, which was established by a 'Peace Sect' of Japanese Buddhists. This pillar is located in the Leh District just above Changspa, which is famous for its gilt panels that depict the life stories of Buddha. In 1983, the construction of this stupa was begun by His Holiness Dalai Lama for spreading the ideologies and preaching of Buddha.After its completion in 1991, the pillar was inaugurated by the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso. It is surrounded by snow-capped mountains and some of the traditional Ladakhi houses.
Stok Palace is the residential palace of the royal family and descendants of King Sengge Namgyal. Displaying a perfect blend of traditional and contemporary architectural styles, it was built by King Tsespal Tondup Namgyal in 1825. There are many beautiful gardens in this palace, from where travellers can have views of sunset and sunrise.The palace is famous for conducting an annual festival of dance-mask that sees a huge participation by the local inhabitants.
Karma Dupgyud Choeling Monastery is a famous Dharma centre in Leh, which is managed by the Karmapa sect of Tibetan Buddhists. This Karmapa sect mainly stands for the embodiment of all the activities of Lord Buddha. Presently, there are over 17 Karmapas in the world that play a key role in promoting the values of Tibetan Buddhism.The monastery also propagates the traditional values of Buddhism along with preserving the Tibetan Buddhism culture.
Spituk Monastery, also called as Spituk Gompa was established during the 11th century by Od-de, the elder brother of Lha Lama Changchub Od. In 15th century, this monastery was overtaken by the Yellow Hat sect. It was essentially a Red Hat institution, which is known for its unique collection of icons, arms, Thangkas and masks.There are around 100 monks at this monastery, who conduct the annual Gustor festival. During the Spituk Gustor festival, a giant statue of Goddess Kali is unveiled at the monastery.
Stanka Monastery or Stanka Gompa is constructed on a 60 m high isolated rock, which displays the cultural and religious heritage of Buddhism. It houses a treasure of Buddhist artefacts, teachings and paintings, which is managed by Drukpa sect of Tibetan Buddhism. In 1580, this monastery was built by a scholar named Chosje Jamyang Palkar.It is prominently called 'Tiger's Nose Monastery', due to the resemblance of the rock on which it stands to a tiger leaping up to the sky. This Gompa also houses a marble statue of Avalokitesvara, which is believed to be brought from the state of Assam. There is also a museum inside the Gompa that preserves various collections of arms and armoury of the ancient Ladakh rulers.
Thiksey Monastery is a part of Gelugpa order in Buddhism and houses Thangkas, stupas, swords, wall paintings, statues and a pillar. This pillar is carved with the preaching and ideas of Buddha and is housed in the 12-storey building of the monastery. The monastery remains crowded during the Thiksey festival, which is celebrated at a grand level.
Tsemo Gompa was constructed by King Tashi Namgyal of the Namgyal dynasty, who ruled Leh during the 15th century. Completed in 1430, it is presently maintained by the monks of Sankar Gompa. Often known as Namgyal Tsemo Gompa, this gompa is situated to the north of Leh and is considered to be one of the oldest Gompas in the region.This Gompa has many ancient manuscripts, frescoes and a big golden statue of Maitreya Buddha, which is as high as a 3-storey structure. Visitors can also see 10 ft high statues of Avalokitesvara and Manjushri at the gompa. There is a fort above this structure, which is partially ruined.
Vajra Bhairav Shrine is mainly dedicated to a tantric guardian deity, who belongs to the Gelug-pa order. It is commonly believed that this deity has some supernatural powers and is essentially unveiled to the public only once in a year. Rest of the time, this idol is kept inside a chamber, which is present at this shrine.Tourists can also see more than 600 years old paintings on the walls of this shrine. This shrine is considered to be one of the oldest buildings in Spituk.
Alchi Choskor is a beautiful temple situated in the village with same name that lies on the banks of the Indus River.It is also known as Alchi Gompa, and is approximately 1,000 years old. This temple is an ideal study centre of Buddhism and is managed by the monks of Likir.
Stok Palace Museum is situated within the Stok Palace, which is essentially the home of the royal family of Ladakh. Visitors can see several royal artefacts, royal crowns, copper coins, precious stones, jewellery, heirlooms, prayer instruments and Thangkas dating back to the 16th century at the museum. Thangkas are known to depict the teachings and life of Lord Buddha.
Sankar Gompa is well-known for its traditional architectural style. Inside the gompa, there is a figure of Avalokitesvara having 1,000 heads and arms. Often known as Sankar Monastery, it can be reached on foot from Leh. There are around 20 monks living at this place. The steps at this monastery lead to double doors that are the means to reach 'Dukhang' or the assembly hall. On the right of the doors, there are three green drums along with a place of the Gyeskos. The walls of this monastery are painted completely with mandalas and a Tibetan calendar.
Ladakh Ecological Development Group was constructed in 1983 and is commonly known as the Ecological Centre of Ladakh. The main objective of this centre is to promote and spread awareness regarding the environmental issues in Ladakh. It also works effectively towards the positive aspects of alternative technology.This group is mainly an environmental NGO, which tries to promote sustainable development in Ladakh along with solar energy. It is also concerned about the economic, cultural and environmental issues that affect the disadvantaged communities in the region. There are more than hundred staff members in this centre, which is headed by Tsewang Rigzin.This NGO has also created several hydraulic ram pumps that have helped the local inhabitants to improve their water supply and irrigation needs.
Monastery Circuit houses several Buddhist Gompas like Thiksey Monastery, Pharka Monastery, Matho Monastery, Hemis Monastery and many more. Hemis Monastery is one of the largest monasteries in the region, which houses a large painting of Buddha that can be seen only once in 11 years. Another important monastery, Thiksey Gompa is a 12-storey structure that has been painted with beautiful colours.It also has prayer flags along with an ornamented entrance that houses a 15 m tall statue.
Matho Monastery is more than 500 years old and comes under the management of Sakya Monastic Establishment in Ladakh. This site is situated in the Indus River valley and was established by Lama Dugpa Dorje. There is a small museum inside the complex, which has some ancient collections of Thangkas that are showcased in the form of mandalas.It is an ideal place for understanding and studying the traditional Buddhist teachings and ideologies.
Serzang Temple was constructed during the 17th century using gold and copper.The copper gilt image of Maitreya Buddha at this temple measures around 30 ft in height. It also houses several mural paintings like Tilopa, Marpa, Mila Raspa and Naropa.The walls of this temple are painted with the figures of Buddha along with the images of people associated with Red Hat sect. This temple also preserves a Serzang manuscript copy of the Tibetan Buddhist Canon, which has been written in silver, gold and copper letters
Zanskar the Virgin Valley is well-known as the 'land of white copper'. This valley is situated in Ladakh and has an elevation ranging from around 3,500 m to 7,000 m above sea level. It is considered to be one of the remotest regions in the world and has remained in veil till 1994.It is one of the coldest regions in Ladakh, and witnesses a temperature of -400 Celsius during winter season. Local inhabitants living here stay very far from one another and take several weeks to travel to each others place.
Dras is a very small village in the district of Kargil, which is often tagged as 'The Gateway to Ladakh'. It came into limelight in 1999, during the incursions by the Pakistani army into the state of Jammu and Kashmir. This place was mainly remembered for the Kargil War of 1999, which was fought between India and Pakistan.It is also a base camp for the 3-day long trek to the famous Suru Valley. The winters in the region are very harsh with the minimum temperature dropping to -450 Celsius.
Suru Valley is mainly drained by the Suru River and houses the main town of Kargil. There are approximately 25,000 people in this valley, who are descendants of Dard and Tibetan communities. Large numbers of local population are followers of Shia Islam, who were converted from Tibetan Buddhism in the 16th century.
Sankoo is a very small township situated in a bowl shaped valley, which is drained by streams like Kartse River, Suru River and the Nakpochu River. This place is often called Ladakh's own Gulmarg and has a small bazaar and several small villages surrounding it.The entire valley is filled with the plantations of willows, myricarea and wild roses that attract large number of tourists.
Padum is the main administrative centre of Zanskar tehsil of Kargil District. This place is around 240 km away from Kargil and has a population of about 1,000 people. It is located in the centre of Zanskar and has an average elevation of around 3,669 m.
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