Monks, Caves, Monasteries & Simple Mysteries :

» Tabo Monastery
» Ladakh
» Dharamsala
» Ajanta and Ellora Caves
» Monasteries of Sikkim

The mountains & the plains of India are host to some of the most intriguing, mystical caves and monasteries. Follow the time-honoured trail of Guru Padmasambhava, Guru Ratnabhadra or Rinchen Sangpo and other Buddhist monks, dating back two millennia.

Tabo Monastery
Located at a height of 3050 meters, is the monastery complex of Tabo, which was founded in 996 AD by the great scholar Guru Ratnabhadra or Rinchen Sangpo, as an institute for advanced learning. Tabo celebrated its 1000th anniversary in 1996. Set in the mountains of Himachal Pradesh, Tabo is built with mud bricks and holds 9 temples. It houses a community of sixty monks. On the sheer cliff-face above the monastery are a series of caves, which were used as dwelling units by the monks and include an assembly hall. Some rare tangkhas and clay statues of Buddha are treasured here.

Ladakh
Known as "The Little Tibet" / "Hermit Kingdom," Leh is situated at an altitude 3500 meters, amidst snow covered Himalayas, was on the caravan route from Tibet to central Asia and beyond. This is a land of snow carved peaks, translucent lakes, barren terrain and mystic culture. Perilously perched atop precipices and peaks, are about 13 major Gompas (monasteries) which remain the repositories of Buddhist mysticism. Hemis is the largest of all gompas, which was founded in the 17th century. It has an excellent library of ancient manuscripts and houses the largest tangkha in India. The monastery of Alchi is known as the jewel among all monasteries. It is a treasure house of 11th and 12th century Buddhist artifacts, paintings and murals, which remind one, of the paintings in far off Ajanta Caves. Other monasteries of repute are Likhir, Stok, Shey, Thiksey and Spituk. Treks to Nubra Valley, Lake Pangong Tso and Zanskar where one can visit Phuktal Gompa, which is like a honeycomb cut into a rock, under a gigantic grotto. Phuktal gompa has 70 monks, who live in the caves above the monastery, where inside the caves is a water hole, whose water level never recedes. There is a stone tablet left by Alexander Cosma de Koros, a Hungarian, who explored Tibet and lived in this monastery in 1826-27. The spring that gurgles deep in the cave is still out of bounds to women. One gets transported to some bygone era, when in Ladakh. Visiting the Ladakh during monastery festivals is really a treat for all. Dharamsala
With a magnificent view of the Dhauladhar range of the Himalayas, Dharamsala is the seat of His Holiness the XIVth Dalai Lama and the headquarters of the Tibetan government in exile. This small town has a large Tibetan refugee settlement and one can see monks in their robes and old Tibetans walking with rosaries in their hands or turning the prayer wheels. The main is the Namgyal monastery or the Dalai Lama’s temple. Gangchen Kyishong houses the offices of the Tibetan government in exile. Monastery of Nechung Oracle is where the official oracle of the Dalai Lama sits and one can visit the monastery and witness the daily services. Tse-Chok-Ling monastery is nestled in a quiet spot and one can visit and take part in the prayer services. Men-Tse-Khang is the center for Tibetan Medicine. Near Dharamsala is a place called Rewalsar, where one can visit the cave temple to the great Indian Tantrik Guru Padmasambhava, who had stopped at this place, while on his way to Tibet, to spread Buddhism. The beautiful monastery of Norbulingka, is where Tibetan culture is kept alive in the form of art, paintings, handicrafts and tangkhas

Ajanta and Ellora Caves
Renowned worldwide for its famed paintings and sculptures, Ajanta Caves situated in the forest ravines of Sahyandri Hills, were hewn out of volcanic rocks and were brilliantly worked upon by master craftsmen under monastic and royal patronage. Dating back to 200 BC and continuing for 900 years, a total of twenty six caves were chipped out of the volcanic rocks and four others remained incomplete. The Jataka tales, depicting the life of Lord Buddha are the main theme of the works, along with scenes from the contemporary court life, which are absolutely magnificent. The union between the sacred and secular forms of art is brilliantly depicted. Ellora Caves are located a short driving distance from Ajanta Caves. Carrying on the great legacy of Ajanta, Ellora Caves date from the 7th century AD onwards. One can see Buddhist, Hindu and Jain influences in the art forms at Ellora. The sculptures at Ellora are massive in size but have the same finesse as witnessed in Ajanta. The famous rock cut Hindu temple of Kailasanath, dedicated to Lord Shiva is in Ellora. These caves are truly a tribute to the rich heritage and culture of ancient India.

Monasteries of Sikkim
Situated in the Eastern Himalayas, Sikkim shares its borders with Tibet, Bhutan and Nepal. Sikkim is known for its gompas (monasteries) and their fascinating ceremonies. Gangtok is the capital of Sikkim, where the Research Institute of Tibetology is situated, which is a centre for the study of Buddhist philosophy & religion. It has a rare collection of priceless manuscripts, books and thangkas. The beautiful Rumtek monastery is the seat of the XVIth Gyawla Karmapa, the head of the Karma Kagyu Order of Tibetan Buddhism. The monastery of Enchay was built 200 years ago and was blessed by the great tantric master Lama Druptab Karpa. About a days trip from Gangtok, is the monastery of Pemayangtse. Situated at a height of 2085 meters, it presents a panoramic view of the great Himalayas. As per a legend, the great Indian tantric saint Guru Padmasambhava or Guru Rinpoche, while searching for a place to meditate, shot an arrow in the air. The place where the arrow landed is where the Pemanyangtse monastery stands. One can stay at a monastery here and learn how to meditate.

There are many more places like in Orissa, Tawang, Nagarjunakonda, etc., where one can feel the sublimity, which pervades in the monasteries and the ruins and presents the age old belief that truth and true knowledge always reigns supreme. No matter how hard is truth subjected to pressure and oppression, it resurfaces again and again to keep the peace and sanity of mankind in place. The list if endless and there is much to see and experience.