Spituk Monastery
On your tour to Ladakh you will come across numerous monasteries in the quaint little Himalayan towns. At hilltops providing panoramic views of the valley below ,and surrounded by the rugged snow peaks, monasteries in Ladakh form places of major tourist attraction. Of all the important monasteries in Ladakh, Spituk Monastery which dates back to the 11th century, overlooks the Indus River and is about 8 kilometers from Leh.
Buddhist monasteries, the centers for worship for monks, are also major attractions of the tourists visiting Ladakh. The Ladakh valley is dotted with numerous monasteries belonging to various schools of Buddhism.
Spituk Monastery was named Spituk by Rinchen Zangpo, who spread Buddhism in Ladakh to set an example for the religious community. It is a three chapel monastery. Spituk Monastery functions under the Gelukpa order and Stok, Sankar and Saboo monasteries of Ladakh are considered to be branches of the Spituk Monastery.
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The officials of the monasteries are believed to be the reincarnations of Skyabsje Bakula Rinpoche. Inside the Spituk Monastery is the image of Lord Buddha. Another image, about a finger's height, is the sacred image of Amitayus. Spituk Monastery has a rich collection of artifacts like thankas, ancient masks and antique arms. There is also an image of Mahakaal. The image of Vajrabhairava is opened for the public once every year, at the annual festival held on the 17th and 19th days of the 11th month of the Buddhist calendar. The annual festival held at the monastery is the Gustor Festival.
Spituk Monastery offers you a glimpse of the importance of Buddhism in Ladakh. Indianholiday offers you the facility to book tours to Spituk Monastery well ahead in advance.
