A hilly temple run

Lying in a village down the Indus valley on a plain, this ancient gompa is neither imposing nor is it full of life. For a visitor, it is just another sleepy hamlet with a few random houses thrown in, a lone shop selling artifacts and a couple of lamas sitting under an apricot grove exchanging conversations. And hidden amongst these silent houses is the oldest monastery of Ladakh which houses some of the most unique paintings .

The monastery lies in the chos khor or monastic complex of four separate monuments, and is deemed to be very different from the rest in terms of architecture and monastic order. The gompa nestled in a courtyard is connected by narrow alleys that lead to several small shrines with wooden pillars and walls that brightly display paintings like the Thousand Buddhas and the Wheel of Life.

According to the inscriptions, it is attributed to a Tibetan noble called Kal-dan Shes-rab who is said to have built it in the 11th century. A fusion of the artistic and spiritual aspect of both Hinduism and Buddhism is seen in the wall paintings of this monastery. The Kashmiri style is also seen in the dukhang or assembly hall and the temple.

Most tourists would think if they see one form of Buddha, it is the same across every monastery. But it is not so. Every monastery has several forms of Buddha like Sakyamuni, Avalokiteshwara and Maitreya to name a few. As you get deeper into Buddhist iconography, you lose yourself in the 50 feet tall statue of Maitreya Buddha in Thiksey, one of the largest gompas in Ladakh. The colourful murals behind the statue depict scenes from his life, which is the future, say the lamas.

“We believe it is the future Buddha ,” they say, adding that the prophesy is he will soon appear on earth, as the next avatar or reincarnation of the historic Sakyamuni Buddha, the form as we know today.

Thiksey known as Mini Potala resembles the palace in Tibet with ten temples dotting its slopes and is almost 12 storeys high. Looking at the vast expanse of the Indus valley from this height, the lamas explain that this was the vision of the Tsongkhapa, who believed that his doctrine will be spread across the valley. As you look down, one can see tourists rotating the prayer wheels, while a monastery guide explains the murals. A row of prayer wheels, mani walls and chortens fill the landscape while the prayer flags flutter in the sky.

The most popular of all monasteries, Hemis nestles in the hills along the Indus, barely 40 kms away from Leh. Hemis grabbed the tourist attention with its colourful festival that takes place in summer when people from around the world flock to Ladakh. Dedicated to Padmasambhava, the dances here mesmerise the locals and tourists who watch the vibrant spectacle.

Built in the 17th century under the royal patronage of Sengge Namgyal, this monastery has several chortens – some of them in silver, some elaborately designed . But the paintings here seem to be faded in a world of their own, although parts of the monastery seem to have been remodeled recently.

The starkness of the landscape becomes more pronounced as you drive down one of the ancient trading routes. Look around and you can see the Karakoram range around us, the Siachen glacier in the distance and the river Shyok flowing beside. Some desert flowers bloom here and there, as the Shyok joins the Nubra or the Siachen river and creates a lush valley filled with apricot and apple orchards.

Our destination is Diksit, where a 14th century monastery awaits you. Here you can see a mighty Maitreya, some fierce guardian deities and a wonderful fresco of the Tashilhunpo gompa of Tibet. The monastery celebrates the festival of the scapegoat or desmochhey with a mask dance that depicts the victory of good over evil . Legends speak of a story of a Mogul demon who haunts this gompa even after he was killed. Locals believe that the Gonkhang or the temple of the guardians still houses his wrinkled head and arm.

Lakshmi Sharath is a travel writer and blogger from Bengaluru. You can read her stories at www.lakshmisharath.com