Ladakh
is a land like no other. Bounded by two of the world's
mightiest mountain ranges, the Great Himalaya and the Karakoram,
it lies athwart two other, the Ladakh range and the Zanskar
range.Travellers flock to Ladakh from all corners of the globe.
This trans-Himalayan district of Jammu and Kashmir has now
become a favourite of both adventure freaks and culture enthusiasts.
The historic monasteries, also known as gompas, are located
in the hills and mountains. Buddhist monks and nuns live,
study and practise their faith in these monasteries.It is
said that only in Ladakh can a man sitting in the sun with
his feet in the shade suffer from sunstroke and frostbite
at the same time!
Places of Interest:
Alchi Gompa: On the banks
of the Indus is the Alchi Gompa, dating thousand years back.
One of its walls features thousands of miniature sized pictures
of the Buddha. Three large sized images made of clay and painted
brightly are its focal attraction.
Leh Palace:
A miniature version of the Potala in Lhasa, the Leh
Palace is one of the major attractions in ladakh. t was the
home of the royal family until they were exiled to Stok in
the 1830s. Above the palace, at the top of the Namgyal hill,
is the Victory Tower, built to commemorate Ladakh's victory
over the Balti Kashmir armies in the early 16th century.
Nubra Valley: The Nubra
valley lies in the north of leh and is accessible over the
Khardungla pass 5600 Mtrs which is one of the highest motorable
roads in the world. The valley have several Buddhist Gompas
Diskit Gompa is 350 years old and is situated on the highest
point near the village in which there are about 120 Resident
Buddhist Monks.
Tsomo Riri:The Lake
is in the south east sector of Ladakh. It is like a pearl
shape and having large mineral deposits. Korzok village is
situated on the south west bank of this Lake.
Thiksey monastery: There
are about 100 monks of the yellow- hat sect of Buddhism. After
entering the main courtyard to the immediate right and up
several steps is a new temple containing a large Buddha statue.
The statue is the largest Buddha figure in Ladakh which took
four years to construct and is made of clay and covered with
gold paint. The statue houses the sacred Kangyur and Stangyur
texts.
Hemis monastery: Hemis
monastery is one of the most famous and largest of all monasteries
in Ladakh, the monastery was founded by Stagsang Raschegn
who was invited to Ladakh by king Singee Namgyal. The Gompa
has well preserved Thankas and copper gilt statue of the lord
Buddha, various stupas made of gold and silver and many auspicious
objects. The largest thanka in Ladakh over 12 Mtrs. Long is
at Hemis.
Zanskar:
comprises a tri-armed valley system lying between the Great
Himalayan Range and the Zanskar mountain; The three arms radiate
star-like towards the west, north and south from a wide central
expanse where the region's two principal drainage's meet to
form the main Zanskar River.
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