India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) - Keith Bain [555]
There are enough Buddhist gompas within easy reach of Leh to keep enthusiasts busy for several days. North along the road to Srinagar are Phyang Gompa (16km/10 miles from Leh), and 15th-century Spituk Gompa (8km/5 miles from Leh), which sits atop a lone rocky hill, crazily poised above Leh’s airport. If you’ve a craving to see more remote, extraordinary Buddhist settlements, and are prepared to spend some time on the road, though, it’s worth undertaking the scintillating journey to Lamayuru. En route are three more of Ladakh’s most alluring monastic sites, the most famous of which is Alchi (along the left bank of the Indus around 70km/43 miles northwest of Leh, a short way off the Srinigar-Leh Rd.). On the way to Alchi, stop at Basgo , where a hillside citadel consists of several Buddhist temples attached to a ruined castle. A two-story-high golden statue of the future Buddha is housed in the Maitreya Temple, which has fantastic murals of fierce divinities that were the guardian deities of the royal family once resident here.
One of the oldest monasteries in the region, Alchi (8am–1pm and 2–6pm) dates from the 11th century, and is unique for the influence of Kashmiri art versus the pure Tibetan styles prevalent in most other monasteries. Situated in a quiet hamlet with a handful of souvenir and snack stalls and an increasing number of guesthouses and a camping ground, Alchi is centered around its inactive five-temple gompa complex, administered by the Yellow-Hat Gelugpa monks of Likir Monastery 30km (19 miles) across the river. You’ll need a flashlight to explore the temple interiors, which are covered with vibrant, colorful, detailed murals and wooden figures. A courtyard leads to the dukhang, or assembly hall, where the statue of Avalokiteshvara is believed to be of pure gold. In the temple (Sumtsek), you can spend forever studying the trumpet-blowing angelic figures and trying to make sense of the tantric poses assumed by a host of elegant nudes. Sadly, Alchi’s popularity, has started to detract somewhat from the experience here; the wonderful Vairocana Temple, for example, has become a sales outlet with cheap booklets and postcards for sale—somewhat off-putting when you’re trying to understand the epic tales told in panels painted on the walls.
Likir , in fact, may not be as famous as Alchi, but to our minds makes a far more enjoyable visit (with far fewer tourists), and can be seen either on the way to Alchi, or on your return from Lamayuru. Said to occupy an area once inhabited by fairies (the name “Lu-khyil” means “circled by water spirits,”) Likir was founded by a meditation master, Lama Duwag Chosje, after the 5th King of Ladakh gave him the land in 1065. The monks here are especially friendly and laid-back—try to spend some time chatting with them as they unlock the various temples and prayer rooms for you. The monastery also includes a small museum (Rs 20); among the unusual items is a 400-year-old bulletproof iron jacket (or thaap) displayed alongside a 900-year-old shield (fak-fali) and equally ancient quiver (sakdha), suggesting an incredible history of conflict in the region that’s generally associated with peace.
If you decide to venture all the way into Zanskar (and, truly, you should), you will come across what is perhaps the most fantastical monastery of all. About 4 hours from Leh, en route to Kargil, Lamayuru is not only interesting as a hub of spirituality but enjoys such a unique and unusual cliff-side setting that it’s sometimes difficult to imagine that you haven’t left the planet entirely. A monk will admit you to the prayer rooms; in the Du-khang, be sure to look for the gap in the wall that reveals part of the cave where the tantric master Naropa meditated in the 10th century. Below the monastery, the dusty village spills down the steep mountain, defying the onslaught of modernity. You can pick your way through the raggedy clusters of time-battered medieval houses and look up to find yourself peering directly into the underside of the temple’s terraces. A peaceful, palpably remote settlement