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| Indus Valley - from Leh to Lamayouro and Shergol |
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Standing prominently on the top of the hillock right at the end of the Leh airport's runway Spituk is a Gelukpa monastery rebuilt on xv c. The gompa commands a panoramic view of the Indus valley, though the scene is ruined by the presence of the airport. The temple is consecrated to Tara, patron goddes of Tibet, and houses a complete collection of thankas representing 21 white Tara and the green Tara. On top of the nearby rock outcrop there is the red walled gonkhang.
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Spituk monastery
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After few kilometres you can follow the diversion for Phyang valley, a narrow and green oasis that leads you to the Phyang gompa. The impressive Phyang Tsedup Festival (Gangon Tse-du-po), with masked chaam dances, is held in July or early August.
Following the Indus you reach the spectacular landscape of the confluence of the Zanskar river flanked by towering mountains. Close by there is the diversion for Chilling and the characteristic rock called Nimmu Gyasgo (the Gates of Nimmu) near the green oasis of Nimo village, further along the course of the Indus.
Phyang gompa |
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Bazgo, the ruins of the 400 year old mud brick gompa stands above the small green valley where there is the small Basgo village. Listed as one of the top 100 most endangered world heritage sites, the dukang of the Ser Zung Temple (Ser-zang-lhakang) (the temple made of copper and gold) with beautiful frescoes on the walls has a magnificent gilded statue of Maytreya dated 1610. The Volunteers of the Basgo Welfare Committee are restoring the gompa.
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Basgo gompa
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Diversion for Likir. Likir gompa, of Ghelupa gelukpa tradition, is dominated by an imposing statue of Maitreya; 150 monks live there. Likir (kLu-Khyl, the ring of naga) is the first gompas of Ladakh to be built under the supervision of Tibetan monks. The present building has been restored on xviii c. At the rooftop a beautiful view of the valley below, dotted with little houses and stupas.
You cross the village of Saspul Saspol where you can see reclusive cave/cell exposed after the face of the cliff collapsed long time ago once home of holy ascetics .
Likir gompa |
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You reach the diversion for Alchi village. A iron bridge you cross the Indus and going upstream from the opposite river bank and shortly you reach the village of Alchi. Built on the banks of the Indus the Alchi monastery (xi c) is one of the earliest monasteries of Ladakh. Hidden among apricot trees the gompa is formed by 5 tiny temples around a courtyard. The main one is the magnificent Sumtsek with its famed paintings and colossal clay sculptures of Avalokitesvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion on the ground floor. The paintings distinct from Tibetan, are in Kashmiri style, and are one of the most sublime manifestations of the philosophical outlook of Vajrayana Buddhism, with a striking resemblence to those found in of Maharashtra's Ajanta Caves. They are, the only repository of this form of art apart from certain buildings in Tabo in the Spiti region of Himachal Pradesh and in some sections of Phugtal in Zanskar, Ladakh.
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Alchi monastery
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Going back to follow the Indus valley again, soon after you cross the village of Ulay Tokpo, with a camp for tourist groups, you reach the diversion for Rizong (Ridzong) (the fortress in the mountain), an isolated Gelugpa monastery maybe one the most ascetics of Ladakh. At the base of the hillock there is a modern construction, a school for young lamas, whereas the main monastery lies at the summit of the narrow valley. The gompa named Jang Chub Ling, place of the enlightenment, has been founded on 1841 and has the Dukang with big statues of Sakyanuni, Avalokishtevatra, Tsongkapa and Amithaba, the Chamba Lhakang with images of Maytreya.
Rizong Gompa |
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At the military area of Kalsi, the main road crosses the river Indus (downstream the road goes to Batalik through the Drogpa area of Hanuthang, Garkhun Da, Da Hanu and Darchick.) and goes up with a series of hairpin bends in the narrow and beautiful valley that leads to Lamayouro, the valley is called the Valley of the Moon because of the strange rock formation interesting subjects for geologist. In accordance with the legend, this area was supposedly a lake, called Nimagon, until Naropa, the great yogin, caused a split amidst the surrounding hills and all the water emptied out. Afterwards some barley grains sprouted with the shape of a swastika (Yung-Drung) from which the name of the Lamayouro monastery Lama Yung-drung (svastika of the lama).
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Valley of the Moon
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The Lamayuru (Lamayouro) Kagyu pa monastery is the most ancient of Ladakh the present building (xiii c.) is attributed to Naropa, the xi c. the great Indian tantric Buddhist yogin, author of the Kalachakra Tantra, who is said to have spent many years meditating in the cave connected to the prayer hall. The white walls of the gompa lean from a rock outcrop above the small village against the backdrop of yellow rocks. A great number of chortens surrounds the site, the Dukang Chenmo opens on the inner courtyard, a big room with three aisles with to the right the original cave where it meditated Naropa. On the upper floor there is the Gompo Gonkang.
Following a stone path you can go down in the inferior part of the complex until you reach the Singge Gang lhakhang, Singge Kang, watched by the protectors. In accordance with the legend, the temple lies on the spot where, when the lake dried out, a dead lion was found (the Lion Mound).
Lamayouro monastery |
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After Lamayuru the road crosses a beautiful brown landscape of rounded hills and snow capped mountain peaks giving way to the Budhkharbu valley and reaching the Fotu La (Photu La) (4147 m), the highest pass on the route, followed by the the long climb to Namik La (pillar in the sky) (3760 m) begins.
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Namik La
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From here you cross the fertile valley of Wakha that leads at Mulbekh after passing by a monastery at the bottom of a large phallus-shaped rock. Mulbekh is the last buddhist village before the area of Kargil which is predominantly Islamic. Right next to the road there is a 9 m tall relief statue of Maitreya Buddha carved out in the rock. The sculpture probably dates to 700 d.C when the missionaries who brought Buddhism to Ladakh came from Kashmir, not Tibet.
Mulbekh |
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Shergol (Shargole) 'the lord of the Morning Star' 10 km after Mulbekh, (35 km before Kargil) it is a tiny but old Ge-Lugs Pa Buddhist monastery. It is perched on a brown granite cliff and appears as if it is suspended in the middle of the mountain side.
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Shergol
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