Best of Thiksey Monastery Ladakh

Traveling is a form of meditation for wanderlusts. This experience gets exacerbated if you visit a place that is symbolized as a centre of peace. Monasteries are the perfect hub of tranquillity that heals your mind, body, and soul. The monastery is a concept that is intertwined with Buddhism, a religion that finds its origin in India.

The Monastery is a well-known monastery within Ladakh, a newly-created Union Territory. Situated atop a hill, the Thiksey Monastery looks majestic and is spread over a large area. A soul-satiating visit to the this Monastery can be achieved with the help of services provided by Cliffhangers India. Cliffhangers India is a reputed private travel agency that provides the best of services to its customers.

When we are talking about monasteries and Buddhism then, how can we not speak about Ladakh? Ladakh is a place where Buddhism and its associated culture are prevalent widely. Ladakh is replete with gorgeous monasteries situated at beautiful locations. One of the monasteries that we would be covering in this article is the Thiksey Monastery.

• Read the complete blog on Likir Monastery.

Thiksey Monastery Facts

There are interesting facts that are attached to the this Monastery. Reading these fun facts would surely allure you to visit this mesmerizing monastery.

Termed ‘Mini Patola’, the Monastery closely resembles the Patola Palace which is situated in Lhasa (Tibet). Thus, the Monastery indicates Tibetan-style architecture. This Buddhist monastery is the largest in the central Ladakh region.

First of all, let us take you on a historical ride of the this Monastery. Thiksey Monastery was built in the year 1430 AD. In the early 15th century, Jangsem Sherab Zangpo constructed a small monastery named Lhakhang Serpo in Stagmo. Following this, in the mid-15th century, Palden Zangpo built a larger monastery near Stagmo, which is presently the Thiksey Monastery. In other words, this magnificent monastery belongs to the Gelugpa sect or Yellow Hat sect of Tibetan Buddhism.

The Monastery is a 12-storey building located on a hill. The monastery provides a panoramic view of the surrounding region. This 12-storeyed building is placed hierarchically with the official residence of the chief lama at the top and the living quarters at the bottom.

Maitreya Temple is one of the chief attractions of the this Monastery. This 49 feet statue of Maitreya Buddha (Future Buddha) is in a lotus position. The Maitreya Buddha statue looks grandeur and covers two stories of the Monastery.

Apart from Maitreya Temple, there are other breath-taking elements of the Monastery. Some of them are- Tara Temple, Assembly Hall, Lamokhang Temple, etc. All of these are equally stunning in view.

You could find numerous prayer wheels throughout this Monastery. It is believed that if you rotate the prayer wheels in a clockwise direction then it brings good luck to you.

Best Time to Visit

From December to May, the Thiksey Monastery remains closed to tourists. The reason behind this is excessive snowfall and low temperatures in Ladakh during the winter season.

During the summer season, i.e., from May to September, the weather is quite pleasant in Ladakh. Since the monastery is situated at a high altitude, the weather is cool but not freezing thus, making it an ideal time to visit the Monastery.

Apart from May to September, you can even visit this Monastery in the months of October and November. In these months, Gustor Festival is celebrated in the monastery. During this Gustor Festival, the faces of deities (covered throughout the year) are revealed, which makes the entire atmospheric divine.

• Read the complete blog on Best time to visit Leh Ladakh.

Timings

To save your precious time from wastage, we have mentioned the timings for visit to the monastery. The Thiksey Monastery is open from 6 AM to 7 PM during the months from May to October. The monastery is open all 7 days a week including national holidays. If you visit the monastery at 6 AM then, you can get the holy opportunity of being part of the morning prayers performed by Buddhist monks.

You would be charged an entry fee of Rs 30. This price is applicable for domestic and foreign tourists alike. There is no charge for carrying mobile phones within the monastery’s premises.

Distance from Leh

The total distance between Leh (the capital city of Ladakh) and Thiksey Monastery is around 19 kilometers. When traveling by car, it would take almost 30 minutes to reach. Apart from this, you can even rent a bike to reach this splendid place and the time taken would be a bit less.

How to Reach

Before visiting the Monastery, you need to first reach Leh. Different modes via which you can reach Leh are mentioned below-

• By Air- The Leh Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport, is the only airport in Ladakh. Major cities such as New Delhi, Mumbai, etc., are well-connected to this airport.
• By Train- There is no railway station in Ladakh. The nearest railway station is the Jammu Tawi Railway Station. The approximate distance between Jammu Tawi Railway Station and Leh is 682 kilometres. You can book a cab or taxi to cover this distance.
• By Road- There are two routes through which you can reach Leh. One is through Srinagar highway and the other is through Manali highway.

After reaching Leh, you can opt for different means of transportation through which you can reach.

• By car- You can book a private taxi to cover 19 kilometres from Leh to Thiksey . It will almost take 30 minutes to reach the monastery.
• By bus- You can travel by bus to reach the Monastery. Several buses are available for traveling to the monastery.
• By bike- If you want to explore the routes to this Monastery on your own then, you can rent a bike.

A visit to Thiksey Monastery is a must to rejuvenate your mind, body, and soul. The architecture and the divine atmosphere would leave an everlasting impact on you. Do connect with the team of Cliffhangers India for a seamless trip to this iconic place.

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