9. Sept 2014

JOURNEY
SOME PLACES OF WORTH A VISIT
Leh is the largest town in Ladakh, this is
where your sight seeing commences from.
Now equipped with modern structures and
development, the town is still dominated by
the ruined Leh Palace, former mansion of
the royal family of Ladakh, built in the same
style and about the same time as the Potala
Palace. Leh is connected to other parts
of India by Leh-Srinagar highway in the
southwest and to Leh- Manali in the south.
It was before an important stopover on
trade routes along the Indus Valley between
China and India for centuries.
Lamayuru, one of the holiest Buddhist
places in Ladakh, is situated on the Leh-
Kargil-Srinagar road, approximately 110
KM away from Leh. It is known for its one
of the oldest monastery called Lamayuru
Gompa. Legend has it that at a time
Shakyamuni Buddha was under a big lake,
which was home to many Nagas. It is said
that the Arahat Madhyantika made water
offerings to the Nagas and made a crack
into the ground of the lake to leak out
the water predicting that in the future the
teachings of Sutra and Tantra will flourish
in this place.
Thereafter, Mahasiddha Naropa (1016–
1100) visited the place. He spent a long
time in strict retreat in a cave there and
turned the place into a sacred land. The
cave still exists, and forms part of the
main shrine of Lamayuru Monastery.
Rinchen Zangpo (958–1055) is accredited
for establishing the monastery.
Bodh Kharbu is another place of a
worth visit. It is situated in Kargil district.
Located on the Leh-Kargil-Srinagar road,
it is 160 KM away from Leh. Along with
the remains of ancient forts, renovated
monasteries and new settlements, it also
houses newly established monasteries
established by well accomplished
Rimpoches of the region.
SEPTEMBER 2014 / 47