Page 137 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - India

HIM A CHAL PR ADESH  135

Vibrant mural showing a scene from Buddhist mythology, Tabo Monastery
a Tabo Monastery however, make Tabo one
Dhankar, the old capital Lahaul and Spiti district. 380 km (236 of the most significant art
of Spiti, is wedged between miles) NE of Shimla. @ Open Apr–Sep. treasures of the Tibetan
the pinnacles of a razor- _ Monastery Festival (Oct/Nov). Travel Buddhist world. The earliest
sharp spur of crumbling rock permits: required to travel between paintings in the dukhang
and alkaline deposits. The Tabo and Jangi (in Kinnaur). Contact (assembly hall) are from the
old monastery here is richly Deputy Commisioner, Shimla (see 10th and 11th cen turies and
endowed with beautiful pp114–15), or SDM’s office in Rekong depict scenes from various
frescoes, and has a bronze Peo (see p122). For details, see p119. incidents and tales associated
statue of Avalokitesvara.
with the life of the Buddha.
Tabo Monastery, Spiti’s pride, The hall also contains imposing
Tsarap Lingti is linked to an important era clay sculptures of the chief
deities from the Buddhist
in the growth of Buddhism in
Tibet. Tibetan Buddhism suffered pantheon. Seven other chapels
Chandra Chandra Tal Hansa Kaza is the a major setback during the reign in the complex contain paintings
from the 15th and 16th centuries.
of King Langdarma in the 9th
administrative
Losar headquarters of Spiti. century, and it took a whole One of the shrines houses
cen tury for the religion to recover. a huge clay idol of a sitting
Kibber The resurgence, also known Maitreya (the Future Buddha).
Key as the “second diffusion of Tabo is also a favourite retreat
Manali Spiti Kaza Lingti Buddhism”, was spearheaded of the Dalai Lama.
Pin Valley by Ye-she-od, the Lama king of Accessing parts of the
National Lara Children in Spiti Guge in Western Tibet. Under his Spiti Valley that lie below
Park Lalung
Kungri Dhankar Tabo Sumdo patronage, the legendary scholar Tabo remains difficult. Travel is
Rinchen Zangpo spread the faith restricted due to the proximity
Gulling
by translating Buddhist of the border with Tibet.
Pin Chango texts and promoting a
tremendous temple-
building movement.
The gompa at Tabo
is one of the products
of this movement,
established in the 11th
century by Rinchen
Zangpo himself. Dating
from a period when
monastic temples were
constructed close to
villages, it is one of the
largest of such centres.
The squat, mud
An impressive image of structures of Tabo are
Guru Padmasambhava, enclosed within a mud
covered in gold leaf, is wall about 84 m by
the highlight of Lalung 75 m (276 ft by 246 ft)
Monastery. This monastery and appear quite
is one of the 108 structures unimpressive from the
credited to Rinchen Zangpo. outside. The exquisite
wall paintings inside, Monks praying at Tabo Monastery
A scenic view of the dramatically situated Key Monastery, Spiti
134-135_EW_India.indd 135 26/04/17 11:43 am