Traveling to Spiti, don't forget to visit these Monasteries

Tabo Monastery

Tabo monastery is around more than 1000 years old monastery and also has newer version of it built adjacent to the old one. There is no artificial light allowed inside the monastery as it could damage the paintings drawn on the walls. Among all the Buddhas framed on the walls ,6 had already received the enlightment, and hence the circle around their images was huge than the other ones.

It was founded in 996 AD and is one of the oldest and most famous monastery in Trans Himalayas with all its original decoration and structure intact. The significance of the monastery is second to the Tholing Gompa in tibet in entire Himalayan region.

The monastery has 9 temples built between 10th and 17th century. In 1996 when Dalai Lama celebrated millennial anniversary of the monastery, the village of tabo attracted tourists both national and international. The view all around the monastery is too mesmerizing to explain in words, hope the pictures can do some justice.

Key Monastery

Key Gompa was established by Drompton in 11th century. It is situated at 4115 altitude and serves as the main training centre for the lamas.

There are narrow corridors and not well lit passages. As you move inside, you pass through difficult stairs and small doors to the prayer hall. There are 3 floors in the monastery, ground floor is mainly used for storage. At the first floor, there is a huge assembly hall and also the cells for the monks.

A unique , huge prayer wheel is there at the first floor and believe me ,a single person can not move it. The prayer wheel has mantras written on them, when a person rotates a prayer wheel by touching, he/she go through those many mantras at a time. The concept really made me curious to know more about the Buddhist monks and their lives.

Tangyud Monastery

Tangyud monastery is at the village of Komic, at 4520 metres, it is one of the highest altitude gompas in the world.

It is built into the traditional style and is one of the two monasteries belonging to Sakya sect left in Spiti , one is at Kaza itself. Cells for the monks are also inside the monastery, check in image below.

**Don't believe what they say, go and see it**

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