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Hemis Monastery
One of the famous Buddhist monasteries of India, Hemis Monastery is located in Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir. The ambience of the monastery is beautiful; one can have the breathtakingly beautiful view of snow-laden mountains of Himalayas. Ladakh is the most sought after Buddhist destinations in India and so a visit to Hemis Monastery will be aspiritual journey to explore the Buddhist learning centre on the Himalayan landscape.
A Tibetan Buddhist monastery, Hemis belongs to the Drupka Lineage and it is located in Hemis town of Ladakh. This monastery is about 45 kms from Leh. Ladakhi king Senge Namgyal reestablished the Hemis Monastery in 1672. Now it is the wealthiest monastery in Ladakh. It houses a wide assortment of ancient relics. One will like to explore the copper-gilt statue of the Lord Buddha, numerous gold and silver stupas, sacred thankas and several other exquisite objects. Indeed the major attractions of the monastery are the giant gilded image of Sakyamuni Buddha and Lama Stagsang Raspa.
Hemis Monastery is synonymous with the annual Hemis festival celebrated in the month of June. This festival is celebrated in honor to the Buddhist saint Padmasambhava. The lamas of the monastery perform a dance wearing century old masks and costumes. The festival symbolizes the triumph of good over evil.
The Hemis town of Ladakh is also home to the Hemis National Park which houses the endangered mountain leopard.
How to reach the Hemis Monastery
By Air :
One can fly from Delhi or other cities of India to Leh. Hemis Monastery is 45 kms away from Leh.
By Rail :
Jammu Tawi, the nearest railway station to Hemis Monastery has good train service to major cities of India.
By Road:
One can reach Leh from Srinagar via Kargil.