On the west wall is a Prjynaparamita on a lotus with the flaming sword. For the best experience at Thiksey Monastery, visit during the time of festivals. [1] Built around the 16th century, Thiksey is the main centre for a small sub-order of the Gelugpa sect with a resident Kushok (head lama) who runs the order with a firm hand, in strict accordance with the Vinaya texts. Describing the paintings in the dukhang, Snellgrove and Skorupski (1979: 115) write, It contains along one side image Shakyamuni, Maitreya and so on, set against a wall which is elegantly painted, and all of which might have been done as late as the 19th century. However, a closer look at the paintings in the dukhang suggests several repair cycles, one at least as late as the 20th century. The west wall presents a damaged and dilapidated appearance, with some newly-painted sections. Theres so much more to discover like - water sports in still waters like boating, rowing, river rafting. Nyarma, one of the earliest sites in Ladakh believed to have been established by Rinchen Tsangpo, has ruins of an early temple and several stupas dating to the 11th century CE. The Thiksey monastery donated land for the nunnery near Thiksey. The body of the statue is beautifully studded with valuable gems and decorated with golden jewels. I have seen many statues, but this Maitreya is very special for me. The monastery is affiliated with the Gelugpa sect or Yellow Hat sect of Tibetan Buddhism. They place it on a stone precisely, which they considered a divine command, and start to build Thiksey Monastery at the spot. Weve found it can be an acquiredtasteone which you can acquire much more quickly by thinking of as a salty broth instead of a traditional tea. We have built an Itinerary with our experts and planned a trip to Thiksey monastery to share our awe-inspiring experience with you. (Image by Sanjay Dhar). Buy arts and crafts made by the locals. Ltd, 1998. From November to May, the roads to Ladakh remain closed due to heavy rain or snowfall. Here are a few travel tips that you should follow while you visit the Thiksey monastery: Please read theWorld health organizations travel advice, before travelinganywhere. 6 a & b). For this reason, it is often known to be a place with breathtakingly gorgeous views and a rich cultural heritage. 6: Chamba (Maitreya), almost 40 feet high, in the cross-legged seated position by Nawang Tsering (1979 -80), stucco and paint. As we were speeding through the road, we could see the clear blue sky above us that was majestically blue with tinges of white clouds touching the snowclad mountain peaks. He loves sharing his Himalayan experiences and motivating people with his travel stories. Next to it is Shakyamuni in the Dhyana mudra with eight Bodhisattvas. We walked our way up to the red-yellow mansions where the main temple complexes were located. She spent much of the next three years in the region studying the language; she is the first outsider in modern times to become fluent in Ladakhi. 8: View of the Nyarma Chorten; the entrance has been widened recently. Thiksey Monastery is located in the Thiksey village of Leh district in the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir. The twelve-storey monastery is located on top of a hill, giving magnificent views of the town and the Indus valley below. When not traveling, he likes to spend time with like-minded travel enthusiasts and read books on travel and mountaineering. We send out a newsletter every 4-6 weeks, complete with travel tips, giveaways, and more. Every year, in the 12th month of the Tibetan calendar, a three-day festival is held at Thiksey, popularly called the Thiksey Gutor (Khrig-rtse dGu-gtor). It is the largest monastery in central Ladakh. So, why not visit this alluring place this season? 7b & c) and drum are of an earlier date (18th century). The construction and engineering of Thiksey Gompa looks like with Potala Palace of Lhasa, Tibet. Thiksey - Wikipedia We took a stroll around it and captured the stunning valley view beyond the chorten. Our team of dedicated specialists from Ladakh offers customized tour packages at discounted prices to all our customers who wish to spend a wonderful holiday in Ladakh. The staircase leading to the dukhang and the roof of the pavilion are also used to seat visitors. On the occasion, believers also receive sermons and teachings from various high lamas. The walls also have paintings, now covered in soot, with similarities in technique to other sites of the same date (late 16th to 17th century) (Fig. From mountains to beautiful plains, there is a lot to capture at Thiksey. Flanked on either side is the Guru Padmasambhava and Tsonkhapa with fierce deities below. How to Stay Healthy While Traveling Naturally. Ladakh: Little Tibet, The Land of High Passes, Nestled high in the Himalayas on Indias Tibetan Plateau, Ladakh is truly a hidden gem. Fig. Thiksey is a village and the headquarters of its eponymous block in the Leh district of Ladakh, India. You can visit Thiksey Monastery anytime between 7:00 am to 7:00 pm throughout the week. Q. It was only in the late 19th century that a royal prince from Zanskar was appointed as the first Bakula of Petub. Thiksey Monastery is located 20 kilometres from Leh and to reach the attraction in Leh, one has to hire a cab to take you in and around the place. The walls in the gonkhang retain most of the original paintings and it is open to the public for a very short period during the year. 17b & c). Hence traveling by air is the only option to reach Ladakh and then visit the Thiksey monastery during winters. Royal support to the Gelugpa establishments continued with Jamyang Namgyal (15951616), who after his release from Skardu, along with his wife Gyal Khatun, became a staunch supporter of the Gelugpa order. Thomas. An 11-headed six-armed Avalokitesvara is depicted (this is from an earlier period and in a damaged state) and the centre of the wall has Shakyamuni flanked in three rows by the five Tathagata Buddhas. Religious Bodhi Literature in Ladakh. (Image by Sanjay Dhar). Even if you see this Maitreya again and again, you will never see it enough; you will always want to see it moreyou will never be satisfied. To know more, you can read theBest time to visit Ladakh. This combination is a filling and satisfying treat during our time in morning puja (prayers). In 1,770, the Lama of Hanle Monastery directed his elder son to inherit the throne of Ladakh while other princes should serve as Lamas at the Thiksey Monastery. Fig. The dukhang is accessed through a staircase leading to an entrance porch with paintings. The portion beyond is newly painted with the in the theme of Shakyamuni with Tathagata. It was installed to commemorate the visit of the 14th Dalai Lama to the monastery in the year 1970. It says that Sherab Zangpo and Palden Zangpo wanted to construct a Tibetan Monastery. Nestled high in the Himalayas on Indias Tibetan Plateau, Ladakh is truly a hidden gem. We take altitude acclimatization seriously in order to ensure you have a wonderful time on the Tibetan Plateau. Book your flight tickets early, as the prices would go higher during the peak season. Rest on the first day of your arrival to acclimatize yourself. 5 a & b). The monastery is affiliated with the Gelugpa sect or Yellow Hat sect of Tibetan Buddhism. Gordon, Antoniette K. The Iconography of Tibetan Lamaism. Please complete the twitter settings in the Twitter widget. Tsampa is roasted barley flour and is typically mixed in with the butter tea (as well as the localbarley beer, chang). In order to propagate the sects teachings, he sent envoys bearing gifts to the king, Ras Bumde (Grags-bum-de). The iconographic programme[3] in the porch follows the tradition of four protector deities on either side of the entrance gate. In Tibetan, the word Gustor means Sacrifice of the 9th day and this day is celebrated as the victory of good over evil. It houses about 80 monks on the premises and also holds one of the largest nunneries in Ladakh. BJ was invited to serve as Thiksey Monasterys official photographer in 2010, 2016, and 2017 for three very special Thiksey-sponsored events with His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Hiring a cab or renting a bike are the best ways to reach here. Daily esoteric rituals continue to be performed here by senior monks, out of public view. Around the shoulder level of the sculpture is a gallery for offering prayers and performing other rituals. He was instrumental in establishing the INTACH Art Conservation Center in Delhi as a center for excellence with focus on developing a region specific approach to conservation and training. To the north are two mandalas: one is unfinished (seems to be in the process of being repainted) and the other is the mandala of the Guhyasamaja. Thiskey monastery is sometimes mistaken for Kee Gompa of Spiti valley in Himachal Pradesh. After performing sacred rituals at Stagmo temple, the lamas (uncle and nephew) took the ritual torma (figures and objects made of flour) to be disposed of. Each building is painted in red, white, and ochre color, which resembles the Potala Palace in Tibet. It is located on top of a hill in Thiksey approximately 19 kilometres (12 mi) east of Leh in Ladakh, India. You can do still photography. At the foot of the mountain, you will find a statue of a Tibetan deity and a stupa at the tip. The main highlight of Thiksey is the Maitreya Temple which houses a 15-metre high Maitreya Buddha statue. Luckily, it hosts many festivals all around the year. From the south, it is difficult to get a sense of the scale of individual structures; but from the north, one gets an idea of the scale of the multi-storey structures of the main monastery (Fig. Thiksey Monastery is one of the largest monasteries in Ladakh and is located about 19 Km from Leh on the LehManali highway. The murals in the courtyard depict the Buddha, Tsong Khapa, Palden Lhamo, Padmasambhava, and Mahakala. 39 hours: the amount of time you save when you fly from Delhi to Leh (1 hour) rather than drive. Book more Places - Hotels, Camps, Cottages & Resorts. Free parking is also available for visitors. According to a popular narrative, the location for setting up the new monastery at Thiksey was revealed through a mystical episode. Incredible India | Thiksey Monastery At the bank of river Jhelum, amidst the bright pink almonds and promising maples, resting in its houseboats, is this city. The land is so barren and the passes so high that only our fiercest enemies or our best friends would want to visit us.. [2] Near Shey is a large area populated with chortens of all shapes and sizes, most dating to an early period from the 12th century onwards. Copyright 2023 All Right Reserved by E Ladakh Tourism. Although the monastery is well connected through buses also, so you can use other forms of public transport to reach the monastery. Fig. As we stepped out of the car, we could see the 12 storied complexes from the foot of the hill to its apex. 8a). His important projects include the restoration of wall paintings at Basgo, Shey and Hemis. (Image by Sanjay Dhar). Thiksey Monastery is so massive that it is known to be Ladakhs largest Tibetan Monastery. The new Thiksey monastery was built a few kilometers away from Stagmo, on a hill above the Thiksey village. His subsequent appearances (incarnations) spread the doctrine in many parts of the region. It was Pon Sherab Raspa (dPal-Ses-rab-grags-pa), the nephew of Sherab Tzangpo, who established Thiksey in 1433 and managed to increase the Gelugpa following in Ladakh (Petech 1977: 168). Among the major visible additions is the Chamba Lhakhang (built in 1980) with the 40 feet sculpture of Maitreya and the Photang complex (built in around 2010) at the base of the hill. He studied conservation at the National Museum Institute of History of Art, Conservation and Museology, New Delhi followed by a 2 year diploma at the Universit Internazionale dellArte, Italy. And is administered by the Monastery Administration. The monastery is painted in colors that perfectly blend with Ladakh's surroundings. On the lower wall are common symbols like the dorje, ghanta, wheel, pasha, dammaruall instruments for performing rituals. At the entrance of the main prayer hall, the wall depicts murals of the Tibetan calendar with the Bhavacakra or The Wheel of Life. He has worked tirelessly to improve the lives of Ladakhi lamas (monks) and lay people since his narrow escape from Tibet during the Chinese invasion. [1] Photang is a meeting of senior lamas to discuss various issues related to the order and also to consider what is required to go forward. New Delhi: Indus Publishing Company. The Maitreya Buddha is one of the main attractions in the monastery. Rinchen Zangpo or Mahaguru is known to have built the Lakhang Nyerma (Temple) at Thiksey that is dedicated to Dorje Chenmo (protector). The space around the courtyard is organized to accommodate visitors attending the festival. If you have any queries related to Thiksey Monastery, feel free to contact us. It has a beatific visage with compassionate eyes, the forehead has an urna (mark) made of a conch shell while precious and semi-precious stones have been used to adorn the crown and jewellery (Fig. The Thiksey monastery is one of the most prominent monasteries in Ladakh, second only to the Hemis monastery, supervising many other monasteries in the region such as Stok, Diskit, Likir, and Spituk. The paintings inside the chorten were not intended for viewing, but as an offering. HAR/ Himalayan Art Resources: http://www.himalayanart.org/, Primidi: http://www.primidi.com/thikse_monastery/history, By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Perhaps the most important lesson of Ladakh has to do with happiness In Ladakh I have known a people who regard peace of mind and joie de vivre as their unquestioned birthright. The lack of oxygen can be dangerous on your body so, be careful. If you wish to know more about the monastery, you can contact the monks, who would guide you through the monastery and also explain the architecture of the monastery. Twenty wooden pillars with decorated capitals are lined at the ground level, forming a gallery. It is believed to have been built on the site of a prior Kadam establishment located about 7 kilometers to the north. There is good choice of accomodation available in Leh. These paintings have been damaged in acts of vandalism/iconoclasm by the Dogra soldiers (as per local belief). Learn more about Ladakh and our home base of Thiksey Monastery, high on the Tibetan Plateau in northern India. Unarguably, Jammu and Kashmir is extremely famous for its beautiful and age-old monasteries too. Fig. Q. Thiksey Monastery is a tibetan-style monastery located 20km south of Leh, on Leh Manali highway. The Thiksey monastery is located in Thiksey, which is 19 kilometers east of Leh, Ladakh. The walls surrounding the sculpture are full of paintings from the time of its consecration in 197980. Studies show Republican states tip more and Republican men are the best tippers. Being a 12-storey building and one of the oldest gompas, Thiksey Monastery possesses some timeless beauties. On the same wall is perhaps the only surviving original painting depicting the Gelugpa lineageTsonkhapa and his two disciples with fierce deities. 10: The guardian deities in the entrance porch of the main Dukhang. Thiksey monastery - Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir Another unique feature of the Thiksey Monastery is that there is a separate building for female renouncers. It would appear that the development of the site has been iterative, with the core and earliest structures (the dukhang and the gonkhang) at the top of the hill. After receiving the gifts, the King gave orders to help Sherab Zangpo establish a monastery of the Gelugpa order in Ladakh. This small act initiated the process of Drukpa Kagyupas ascendance in Ladakh. Television has caught on well, including series such asGame of Thrones and even Ice Road Truckers. Ladakh is one the few places in the state which is dotted with several monasteries. Sahapedia is a registered trademark of Sahapedia, a non-profit organisation registered under the Societies Registration Act of 1860. And while they were performing rituals, two crows came and flew away with the Torma offerings. Most of the colours are thickly applied and sensitive to light. Leh is located at a distance of around 20 km from Thiksey. Get the best deals to explore Leh in our, Itinerary Guide How to plan your Itinerary for Thiksey Monastery, We climbed the staircase and entered the prayer hall and temple of the monastery. Starting from the south corner is a depiction of Vajra Bhairava with his consort and Guhyasamaja (both important figures in the Gelugpa pantheon). Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. This is a major highlight that attracts tourists from all around the globe. The monastery also has charge of many chortens in Shey and Nyarma. The 12-storeyed monastery is built atop a hill and . After receiving the gifts, the King gave orders to help Sherab Zangpo establish a monastery of the Gelugpa order in Ladakh. If you love exploring new things and moving off the track, Thiksey Monastery is the place where you should be this weekend. There is even a song about the word jullay which says, The goodword that brings friends closeris jullay / The good word that make strangers friends is jullay. For a more respectful jullay to monks, you can say Choktsel Jullay!. London: K. Paul, Trench, Trubner & Co. Petech, Luciano. Apart from Lakhang Nyerma there are a few more shrines inside the monastery complex. The monasterys head lama, Ngawang Jamyang Jampa Stanzin Rinpoche (or, Thiksey Rinpoche for short), is a well-respected, influential, and progressive voice within the Ladakhi community.