Morning Prayers

Situated about 18 kilometres away from Leh, the Thiksey Monastery is a fort monastery that’s built in the likeness of the PotalaPalace of Lhasa, Tibet and houses about 60 monks. Resting on top of a hill at an altitude of 3,600 meters (11,811 feet) in the Indus Valley, this Gelugpa (Yellow Hat) Buddhist monastery is a 12 storey complex with a precious collection of murals, thangkas, stupas, statues and swords. This is the most important monastery in Ladakh and governs ten more monasteries under it. Built on a supposedly sacred hill in the mid 15th century by the Gelugpa monk Palden Sangpo, Thiksey saw the addition of the Maitreya temple, with a 15 meters (49 feet) Maitreya statue in 1970. The statue, which is constructed out of clay, copper and gold paint, is the largest of its kind in Ladakh and occupies two levels of the complex. Painted in red, yellow-ochre and white, this fort monastery offers some amazing views of the Shey Palace and the Stok Palace across the Indus Valley flood plain. There is a nunnery within the monastery precincts, which houses more than 20 nuns and is supported by international funds. Gustor is the annual festival held in the monastery precincts from the 17th to 19th day of the ninth month of the Tibetan calendar and witnesses the performance of the Cham Dance or mask dance.

The Morning Prayers are held every day in the main prayer hall. Visitors are free to come and sit in the prayers as long as they maintain silence and do not use flash in the cameras. Rows of monks, children and elders alike, in red robes sitand chant mantras. Let yourself soak into the atmosphere of spirituality and the positivity that will leave you awestruck. Come and experience the energy of Buddhist mantras and chants…