Alchi Monastery

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Sight Address : Alchi Monastery is situated in Alchi village and it is 70 km west from leh. Edit

Detail InformationEdit

Alchi Monastery is located near the small village of Saspol. It is one of the earliest monasteries built in Ladakh, dating from the 11th century. Because it was constructed before the invading wars begun in the 15th century, Alchi was built on lowlands, rather than on a hilltop as other gompas were, to protect them from marauding armies. The gompa at Alchi was erected by Rin-chen-Izghimpo, one of the first Ladakhi kings to engage in foreign relations. To build the monastery, the Ladakhi king signed a treaty with the Gyalpo (king) of Tibet, who agreed to provide the artisans. The rambling monastery has six main buildings the Dukhang or main assembly hall, the Sum-tsek or three-tiered temple; the adjoining Manjusri Lha-khang and Lotsawa Lha-Khang temples; the Lha-khang Soma and the Kanjur-Lha-khang.

Alchi Monastery Front view

HistoryEdit

Alchi Monastery : Traditionally, the creation of the Alchi complex is attributed to the famous scholar-translator Rinchen Zangpo (958–1055) in the 10th century, along with the Lamayuru Monastery, the Wanla, the Mang-gyu and the Sumda. During the tenth century, the Tibetan King Yeshe Od of Guge, in order to spread Buddhism in the Trans Himalayan region, took the initiative by allocating 21 scholars to the region. However, due to harsh climatic and topographic conditions, only two survived, one of them the esteemed scholar and translator Rinchen Zangpo who established Buddhist activity in the Ladakh region and other areas of India including Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim. During his sojourn there, he also went to the neighbouring countries of Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet. Zangpo became known by the epithet “Lohtsawa” or the “Great Translator”; he is credited with building 108 monasteries in the trans-Himalayan region in his quest to disseminate Buddhism. He institutionalized Buddhism in the region; these monasteries are considered the mainstay of Vajrayana of Tibetan Buddhism (also known as Lamaism). Zangpo engaged Kashmiri artists to create wall paintings and sculptures in the legendary 108 monasteries; only a few of these have survived, with the Alchi Monastery complex in Ladakh having pride of place among all monasteries that he built.Since the monasteries of this period did not belong to any of the established Tibetan schools, they were initially brought under the control of the Kadampa order. When the condition of the monasteries deteriorated, they were mostly taken over by the Gelukpa order, with the exception of Lamayuru which was placed under the Drigunkpa sect. After worship at Alchi monastery ceased for some reason in the fifteenth century, it also became under the Gelugpa sect controlled from Likir.

Must SeeEdit

Popular

Visiting TimeEdit

N.A.

Closed OnEdit

N.A.

Best Season to VisitEdit

June to October.

Best Time To VisitEdit

Morning , Afternoon, Evening.

Time Required for SightseeingEdit

4-5 hours.

Ticket Required : No Edit

Individual National Adult Rs. : N.A.

Kids Rs. : N.A.

Individual Foreigner Adult Rs. : N.A.

Kids Rs. : N.A.

Still Photo Camera Rs. : N.A.

Video Camera Rs. : N.A.

Guide Required : No Edit

Approximate cost: N.A.

Dress Code (If Any) : N.A. Edit

Dress Require: No

Restaurants NearbyAdd / Edit

Alchi Resort Leh-Ladakh ; Alchi Village,Leh-ladakh,jammu kashmir,india. ; Ph/M – N.A. ; Food Serve – Indian, Chinese and Continental dishes.

How to ReachEdit

Taxi : This place is well connected by road. Alchi is a village situated 70 km west from the capital in Leh.and is easily accessible by taxis from leh.

BUS : Alchi is connected to Leh through regular buses.Himachal Tourism and State Transport Corporation along with J&K SRTC and several other travel companies run regular bus service to Leh.The Alchi-Manali road is one of the two major road networks that connect this place with the rest of India. This is the world’s second highest motorable road, reaching 5328 m at Taglang La. The road is usually open between the months of June and mid-October.

Train : The closest railway station is Jammu, there are regular train services from Delhi and many other cities to Jammu railway station, from Jammu you can take buses or taxi ride to Srinagar and then to Leh. From Leh you can take bus or taxi to to the alchi is 70km west to leh .If you are for more adventures you can also rent bikes, available on rent in Leh and will cost you anywhere between rupees 600 a day for an Enfield to rupees 300 for others.

Air : Nearest Airport is Leh Airport is 41 km from alchi,which can be reached by either bus or taxi. Alliance Air flights connect Leh with Delhi, Chandigarh, Jammu, and Srinagar through regular flights.

Others : Truck : Trucks often stop for hitchhikers, who are usually expected to pay half the bus fare, bargaining may be necessary. They are slower than the buses and sometimes stop for long periods to unload cargo.

Things to CarryEdit

Carry woolan cloths, Camera etc.

Safety / WarningEdit

Ladakh is one of the safest parts of India, and the most basic precautions are enough to keep you and your possessions safe. Most of the region is dotted with military cantonments every 50-80 kms, but mainly because of its strategic position on international border between India and China. The army plays major part in rescue and aid efforts and that is why you will require to produce identification documents or written permission from local authorities before entering some remote places.