CENTRAL LADAKH
Significance: The Cultural Heartland Of Ladakh.
Famous Pilgrim Centre: Alchi
Preserving The Remnants Of History
The geographical backbone of Ladakh, the Indus valley, particularly from
Upshi down to Khalatse, is also the region's historic heartland. All the
major sites connected with the former kingdom's dynastic history are here,
starting with Leh, the capital city since the
early 17th century when Sengge Namgyal built its nine-storey palace.
A few kilometers up the Indus is Shey, the most ancient capital, with its
palace and temples, their vibrantly coloured murals cleaned and restored
in the mid-1980s. Down river Basgo, right on the road and Tingmosganga
short way up a side-valley, both served as capital cities when the country
was temporarily divided into two parts in the 15th century, and both have
the remains of forts and temples dating from the period of their brief
glory.
Stock, just across the river from Leh, is the village with which the
deposed royal family was compensated for the loss of its throne. Its
palace houses a museum of artefacts associated with the dynasty, and
theree is also a small gompa.
The Red Hat Sect & Their Monasteries
Partly as a result of royal patronage, the central area of
Ladakh has the greatest concentration of major
Gompas Of the twelve situated on or near the Indus, the oldest is
Lamayuru, believed to have been a sacred site for the pre-Buddhist
religion known as "Bon", Phiyang, Hemis and Chemrey were all
founded under the direct patronage of members of the ruling Namgyal
dynasty.
Phiyang represents an act of penance by the 16th century King Tashi
Namgyal for the violence and treachery by which he reached the throne.
Hemis, together with Hanle near the Tibetan border, was founded at the
instance of King Sengge Namgyal, and Chemrey by his widow as a posthumous
at of merit for him. Stakna, dating from a slightly earlier period, was
endowed by the Namgyal kings at various times. All these belong to the
red-hat Kar-gyut-pa sect of Tibetan monasticism.
The Yellow Hat Reformists & Their Monasteries
The reformist yellow-hat Ge-Lugs-Pa sect is also well represented in
central Ladakh by Thikse, Likir, Ridzong and Spituk the last of which has
daughter houses at Stok, Sabu and Sankar.
Ridzong, the only Gompa, which is not as yet approachable by a motorable
road, is situated a few kilometres up a side-valley at Uley-Tokpo. It was
founded only a century and a quarter ago by a devout layman-turned-lama,
with the purpose of giving full expression to the strict monastic rule of
the Ge-lugs-Pa.
While the paintings and images in its temples may, to some extent, lack
the aesthetic and antiquarian interests of those in the older
establishments, this Gompa nevertheless has an indefinable atmosphere of
peace and education, which reflects faithfully the inwardness of the
Buddhist Way.
Nying-Ma-Pa
And Saskya-Pa Monastic Sects
The smaller but much older Nying-ma-pa and Saskya-pa monastic sects are
represented respectively by Tak-thok and Matho Gompas. Tak-thok, at the
foot of the Chang-la incorporatess one of the many caves in the Himalaya
where the Indian Buddhist apostle Padmasambhaba is said to have rested and
meditated on his journey to down structure, but a Vibrant religious
community. It is famous for its festival of the oracles, which takes place
early in the year, usually in the first half of march.
Alchi
But the jewel among central Lakakh's religious sites is Alchi. Abandoned
centuries ago as a place of regular worship, it has been lovingly
maintained by the monks of Likir, the nearest functioning Gompa. Known as
Chos-kor, or religious enclave, it comprises five temples, the richest in
paintings and images being the Du-khang (assembly hall) and the
three-storey Sum-tsek.
Its mural, dating from the 11th and 12th centuries, pre-date the Tibetan
style of painting that is present are reminiscent of the paintings of the
far off Ajanta Caves and are presumed to be almost sole survivors of the
Buddhist style current in Kashmir during the first millennium AD, along
with some in Phugtal Gompa in Zanskar, and Tabo in Spiti.
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