In the land of the robed monks

Monks practice dances for their annual festival in the courtyard of Thikse Monastery. 

Souvenir shop in Leh.

Taking from stories about the Silk Road traders and the trails they crisscrossed for centuries, Rudyard Kipling gave us a glimpse of the Himalayas through an old lama and his faithful Sherpa, Kim, who traversed northern India in search of an auspicious river. In their adventure they met hunters, rich women, English soldiers, spies and horse traders. Kim is a fascinating novel that illustrates life in Northern India in the late 1800s. On March 17, 1959, the Dalai Lama made history when he trekked those same mountains for about two weeks, in order to escape imprisonment by the Chinese government. From Dharamsala, his adopted hometown in the Indian Himalayas, he still advocates for autonomy in the Tibet region. Today, hundreds of hikers, bikers, pilgrims and adventurers go to Ladakh to experience the majesty of the mountain desert, and to get a glimpse of life in the famed land.

Shanti Stupa, a peace pagoda.  

Accessible by airplane since the 1970s, Leh sits as the region’s capital and gateway to all its attractions. Despite the proliferation of hotels, cafes, and tour providers, it continues to charm with its white, flat roofed homes, narrow streets, and local robed women who sell their fresh vegetables at the boulevard. School kids, Nepalese refugees, and construction workers roam the center of town, where the Royal Palace and the central mosque share space with souvenir shops, bazaars, and sweets stores.

Upper Hindus Valley seen from Shanti Stupa. 

But Leh is just one of the many towns that occupy the Upper Indus Valley, a region that glows with fields of mustard, barley, and other vegetables harvested in the summer. A good way to see its scope is to visit Shanti Stupa, a large white dome built by the Japanese atop a rocky hill in 1991. It offers spectacular views of the valley and its surrounding villages.    

A young monk showing temples' keys. 

Long before airplanes and paved roads, the Ladakh region was well known among traders, as it was the halfway point of one of the various silk routes that ran between India and China. In fact, merchants carrying their loads on yaks, camels, mules, and horses have crossed this area for over 8000 years, as it was recently discovered by researchers who found remains of charcoal from ancient bonfires in the same place where workers are building a new road.

It was through these ancient routes that Buddhism got to this part of India. Along with spices and hides, traders brought the teachings of Gautama Buddha. Soon after, robed monks trekked the rugged trails looking for peace and quiet. Some stayed in the Ladakh region, and many others went to Nepal, Tibet and ultimately China, where Buddhism took root and expanded throughout Southeast Asia.

With time, the meditation caves that pious monks inhabited turned into monasteries that grew with the flourishing of the faith and the support of the royal families. The blending of Buddha’s teachings with the animistic beliefs of the inhabitants created a very rich mythology; monks and artists developed unique artistic expressions, and the relative isolation kept the religion almost free of reforms and change. Hundreds of pilgrims and tourists flood the region in the summer months to see this authentic manifestation of the faith.

Monks' robes ready for use in a temple. 

It is actually in villages nearby Leh where impressive Buddhist monasteries have succeeded. The largest, Thikse, is a 12 story structure built in the 15^th century that houses a library, a museum, a nunnery, and dwellings for about one hundred monks. It is said that this temple resembles closely Jokhang temple in Lhasa, Tibet, where Dalai lamas lived for centuries. One of its main attractions is a beautiful statue of Maitreya, or the future Buddha, that measures 49 feet and occupies two stories. There is also a Tibetan pharmacy, where a monk takes consultations, and prescribes blessed pills.

Maitreya, or Future Buddha. Thikse Monastery 

Hemis is another village famous for its monastery. This one is dedicated to Guru Rimpoche, a Buddhist master venerated in Northern India. It has a large courtyard where monks celebrate their festival and mask dances in early June, and it holds an impressive collection of Tangkas, a specific form of art composed of a religious painting framed in beautiful silk brocade. Besides learning about the temple’s history that dates back to the eleventh century, visitors can hike up to the golden statue of Maitreya Buddha that overlooks the temple.

The oldest, and most revered of the monasteries in the Indus Valley is Lamayuru. Built in the 16^th century in a land that was already considered sacred by Buddhists, it has been the center for religious activity in the area for centuries. In the month of June, monks from all the region gather to witness Yuru, Kab-gya, a festival that celebrates the triumph of good above evil. Visitors and pilgrims get together to enjoy the mask dances, the hypnotizing sound of gongs and cymbals, and the unique ambiance that permeates the place. Mingling with the locals provides an unforgettable experience.  

Children enjoy the festival in Lamayuru Monastery. 

Most of these monasteries are located on or near the famous Manali to Leh road that hundreds of bikers traverse every summer. This road connects also with Khardung La road, the highest drivable pass in the world. Severaltravel agencies have motorcycles for rent in Ladakh, and offer camping tours all over the region. As the tour vans move from one monastery to the other, locals harvest mustard in their parcels, or collect wood for the winter months. The more adventurous travelers bike to the Khardung La pass, go for rides to the sand dunes in the Nubra Valley, or trek from valley to valley camping under the stars. Hikers, bikers, and meditation enthusiasts find in the slopes of the Indian Himalayas the path they came looking for.

View of Thikse Monastery