Green grass field under blue sky

Shey - India

Ladakh is one of the few places in the state which is dotted with several monasteries. One such amazing monastery is Thiksey Monastery, which is located atop a hill amid the beautiful terrains of the Indus Valley,it is one of the largest monasteries in Jammu and Kashmir, India. It is also spelt as Thiksay or Thikse. . There is an interesting legend related to the formation of Thiksey Monastery. It is said that Palden Zangpo and Sherab Zangpo, disciples of a Buddhist guru, were performing rituals at a small village-monastery in the northern side of Indus Valley. When they were about to throw the torma offerings in the valley, a crow came out of nowhere and carried the torma with it. Upon searching, the disciples found those torma offerings on a rock, where, later on, they built Thiksey Monastery. . Today, it is one of the most prominent monasteries in India and is visited by several monks and tourists every year. Apart from scrutinising its architectural formation, there is a lot to explore within its boundaries. . Being a 12-storey building and one of the oldest gompas, Thiksey Monastery possesses some timeless beauties. The major things which can be studied and witnessed include wall paintings, statues and stupas. The architecture of the monastery complex is also something which cannot be ignored. . Beautifully built on a hill slope with large courtyards, Thiksey Monastery is painted in red, yellow and white. The major place which attracts numerous monks and tourists towards it is Maitreya Temple, which is dedicated to Lord Maitreya, who is considered as the future Buddha.