BUDDHIST MONASTERIES
Significance: The Cultural Heartland Of Ladakh.
Famous Pilgrim Centre: Alchi
The dominant religion of Ladakh is Buddhism, and it is the
living religion of the people here, the practice of which has enabled them
to live in complete peace not only with other religions but also with the
nature. It is manifest in the art and architecture of Ladakh. The
monasteries, or the gompas as they are called, are beautifully designed
and have the finest of sculptures, wood carvings, bronzes, gold and silver
chortens, paintings done on silk scrolls and walls and scriptures printed
out of hand-made wooden blocks. In the monasteries the devout pray for the
peace of the world.
Buddhist Pilgrimage in Ladakh
Buddhism,
especially the Trans-Himalayan Buddhism from Tibet is the very essence of
living in Ladakh .
Partly because of the royal patronage, the central part of Ladakh has the
greatest concentration of major Gompas or monasteries. From the twelve
situated near the Indus River banks, a must visit is the oldest Lamayuru
believed to have been a sacred site for pre-Buddhist religion known as
'Bon'. Monasteries of Phiyang, Hemis and Chemrey belong to the Namgyal
dynasty period and are a major attraction during their monastic festivals.
The reformist group monasteries are also well represented in central
Ladakh by Thikse, Likkir, Rhidzong and Spituk.
