Jammu & Kashmir Lamayuru Monastery
Lamayuru monastery is part of Kargil district of Ladakh in India. The monastery was found by Naropa in the 11th century. This monastery belongs to Tibetan Buddhists. The monastery houses around 150 monks. This monastery is one of the oldest and largest monasteries that belonged to the gompas in Ladakh. The monastery is located to the east of Fotu La at a distance of 15 km in the east on Srinagar-Kargil-Leh road.
An Indian scholar Mahasiddhacarya Naropa ostensibly dried up the lake which thus let form the Lamayuru Monastery. The most ancient temple that survived in the Lamayuru is known as Seng-ge-sgang that is on the southern end of the Lamayuru rock that has its link to Rinchen Zangpo the most famous builder monk.
There are five buildings in the gompa and the remains of the building have only few portions of four corners remaining there.
There was a time when the monastery had 400 monks staying in the monastery but today many of them have moved out in the neighboring villages. The festival is celebrated twice in the year in the vicinity of monastery. The festival is celebrated in second and fifth month every year as per the Tibetan calendar. The monks from nearby area join and offer their prayers in monastery. The dance performance sees the masked dance in the festival.
How to Reach
By Air:
Srinagar is the nearest airport at distance of 206 km.
By Rail:
The nearest Railhead is Jammu at distance of 540 km.
By Road:
Buses from many cities in northern India ply to Kargil.
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