'Little Tibet' or, 'the moonland' or 'the last Shangri La' are all names that have been applied to Ladhak. It is an 'other-worldly' place with gompas perched on soaring hilltops, shattered looking landscapes splashed with small but brilliant patches of green and ancient palaces clinging to sheer rock walls. Leh at a height of 3,500 meters is the main entry point to this region. The Ladhak and Zanskar valleys are trekker's delight. The region has the highest motorable road in the world and getting there by road, from either Srinagar or Manali, provides one of the most exquisite views of the Himalayan range.

MONASTERIES

• Alchi Monastery - 70 kms from Leh, on the banks of river Indus is Alchi gompa dating back to the 11th century. It is one of the largest and a famous monastery with a widely renowned collection of paintings. One of its walls features thousands of miniature-sized pictures of the Buddha. This monastery is maintained by the monks of Likir monastery and is no longer a place for active worship.

• Hemis Monastery - 40 kms from Leh, Hemis is one of the richest, biggest and most famous gompa in Ladakh. Built in 1630, it belongs to the red sect. Its popularity stems from the major annual festival held during summer in honour of their Guru Padma Sambhava's birth anniversary, every 12 years the thanka with his photograph is displayed - the largest in the world. The monastery houses silver chortens studded with precious and semi precious stones, an impressive library of Tibetan style books, large number of thankas, various images of Buddha and frescoes including the famous "Wheel of Life".

• Lamayuru - According to the legend, during the time of Sakya Muni Buddha there used to be a crystal clear lake where the monastery today stands, with the blessing of the Lama the water of the lake receded leaving place for the monastery. The complex was founded in the 11th century and houses a library, thought to be the oldest in region. The present monastery dates back to the 16th century and has the 11 headed image of the Avalokiteshwara Buddha, mainly in ruins it also has some murals and thankas. Considered the free zone of Ladakh, not even a criminal can be apprehended here.

• Likir Monastery - Founded in the 11th century AD and was rededicated to another monastic order (the yellow sect) in the 15th century, its earlier gompa was destroyed in fire. The present gompa dates back to the 18th century. It contains huge clay images of Buddha's (past, present & future) and various old manuscripts. It also houses an interesting collection of thankas, old religious and domestic costumes and implements etc.

• Phyang - Belonging to the red sect, this Gompa was built in the 16th century. Just 16 kms from Leh, it houses hundreds of statues, thankas, old manuscripts and some old weapons.

• Shey - Until the 16th century it was the royal residence, Kings of Leh were supposed to be born in the monasteries. This Palace Monastery has the largest statue of Maitreya Buddha (Buddha to come) in Ladakh. Erected in the mid 17th century, worked out of gold and gilded copper sheets with blue hair, it stands 17.5 metres high.

• Spituk - 8 kms from Leh, standing majestically on top of a hillock overlooking the Indus Valley, Spituk Gompa is from the yellow sect. It houses a collection of ancient masks, antique arms, icons and numerous thankas. Higher up the hill is the Mahakal Temple, containing the shrine of Vajrabhairava. This terrifying face is unveiled only at the annual festival in January.

• Stok Palace - The palace of the banished royal family dates back to the mid 19th century. The Palace museum has on display fabulous period costumes and jewelry of the royalty along with exquisite thankas representing the life of the Sakya Muni Buddha. Interesting historical objects like coins, seals, armour, weapons, precious jade and porcelain can also be seen here. The Royal family still continues to live here.

• Thiksey - About 20 kms from Leh, Thiksey is an imposing monastery and one of the finest example of Ladakhi architecture. The 12 storey monastery complex contains numerous stupas, statues, thankas, wall paintings, swords and a large pillar engraved with the Buddha's teachings. The main prayer hall has a 15 mt high seated Buddha figure.

• Shankar - A relatively modern monastery, it is closely associated with the Spituk monastery and serves as the residence of the head priest - Kushak Bakula. A number of gold icons are to be found here.

• Basgo - 40 km downstream from Leh, it was the seat of power of a branch of the Namgyal family. It is here in 1680 A.D. that invading Mongol and Tibetian armies were held in check over a three year long seige. Original 16th century murals and other arts of Basgo are well worth a visit.

• Chemrey - 45 km from Leh, situated in a picturesque valley leading to Changia, this gompa was constructed as a funeral act of merit on Sengge Namgyal's death in 1645. A large collection of scriptures with title pages in sterling silver and the text in gold letters is kept here. Close by is a cave monastery reputed to have been the abode of Padma Sambhav during one of his periods of meditation.

• Stakna - A few kilometres upstream from Thikse, Stakna is situated on a 60 metre high isolated rock.

  

• Matho - Situated on the opposite bank of the Indus across Thikse, Matho was established in the first half of the 16th century AD and has a valuable collection of very old and beautiful thankas, some in the form of 'mandalas'. Its annual festival of oracles in early March is an important event in the Ladakhi religious calendar. Young monks selected as oracles undergo long periods of meditation, fasting and ritual purification to gain spiritual strength. When possessed they perform astonishing feats with swords and knives, cavorting blindfolded along narrow parapets.

• Mulbekh - Precariously perched a top a 200 metre high crag, it has an imposing rock carving of Chamba, the future Buddha. On the other end of the valley is a large vertical phallus shaped rock with a monastery at its base.

• Tak-Thog Gompa : 50 km. East of Leh, this is the only monastery belonging to the Nying-ma-pa order. Gum Rinpoche (Padma Sambhava) is said to have founded this monastery. The temple where he meditated is still to be seen at Tak Thog (rock-roofed) monastery. The monastery is tucked in the lap of a rock and owes its name to its roof which is a natural rock. Tu-Phuk houses the images of Guru-Tsan-gyet (eight forms of Padma Sambhava), Guru Takpo Tsahl and the 11-headed Avalokitesvara.
  
  The new monastery is built on ground level and contains the image of Guru Nang Srith Zilon in a central position; to its right is an image of Guru Dorje Dolo and to its left an image of Guru Padma Gyalpo. There are seats for His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Taklung Rinpoche; the latter is the incarnate Lama of the monastery. The monastery stages two festivals every year. Tak Thog Tse Chu is held from the ninth to the eleventh day of the sixth Tibetan month. Tak Thog Wangchogis held from the 26th to the 29th day of the ninth Tibetan lunar month.

Leh

Amidst starkly beautiful and majestic mountains, gradually merging into an oasis of green fields, Leh is situated on the banks of the Indus, at a height of 11,000 feet. For seven months a year, Leh airport is Ladakh's only link with the outside world.

ZANSKAR