Thiksey Moastery

Address: Leh-Manali Road, Leh

Open Hours: 06:00 AM to 01:00 PM & 01:30 PM to 06:00 PM

Entry Fee: INR 20.00 Per Person

About:

              Thiksey monastery is the largest monastery in Central Ladakh. It comprises several buildings of varying heights starting from the base of the hill to the hilltop arranged according to the importance of each building. There is a statue of a Tibetan deity at the foot of the mountain and a stupa at the tip. Each of the buildings is painted red, white and ochre colours and resembles the Potala Palace in Tibet. 

                  The similarity is so substantial that Thiksey monastery is often known as the mini Potala. The monastery not only comprises different Buddhist statues, paintings and stupas but also houses 60 lamas whose quarters are located at the top of the hill. The interior of the monastery also comprises the statue of Maitreya Buddha, the Tara temple, an assembly hall and the Lamokhang Temple.

Places to Visit in Thiksey

          The monastery holds ten temples, home for monks, assembly hall, nunnery and others. The monastery has 12 levels. It is one of the largest structures in Ladakh. As you enter the monastery, you can find the statue of the protector deity in the entrance. From the monastery, you can enjoy a beautiful view of the flood plains of Indus valley.

• Maitreya Buddha: This is one of the important attractions inside the monastery. It is a large statue, which is two story tall. This is the largest statue in Ladakh.

• Assembly Hall: The Assembly hall entrance has a wall that has murals of Tibetan calendar. The prayer room next to this wall has many books and manuscripts. Beyond the prayer room, there is a small sanctum. Apart from these, the assembly hall has many pictures, statues and murals.

• Tara Temple: This is a small temple dedicated to the Goddess. There are 21 images of the deity in this shrine. You can find many murals here.

• Lamokhang Temple: This temple holds many scriptures including Stangyur and Kangyur. Women are not allowed inside this temple. There is a small school on top of the temple where young boys are taught to become Lamas. You can find a large pillar with Buddha’s teachings engraved on it. Beyond the temple, you can find numerous white huts, the residence of Lamas.

• Nunnery: This is the school for nuns.

Festival of Thiksey Monastery

       Festivals takes place either in November or in October. The festival spans for two days. During this festival, after the morning prayers, the celebrations begin. A sacrificial cake is distributed during this festival. Top attraction of this festival is the mask dance, which is performed by the monks. It is said that the masked dance wade off the evil. The Black Hat dance is performed to re-enact the assignation of Lang Dar Ma by a monk. The exact date of the festival changes every year with respect to the Tibetan calendar. During this festival, a fair takes place at the monastery’s base. This fair is the best place to buy souvenirs and socialize with people.

For More Detail visit:

1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thikse_Monastery

2) https://www.thrillophilia.com/attractions/thiksey-monastery

April 25, 2020 Tags : Information

Subscribe by Email

Follow Updates Articles from This Blog via Email