Spituk Gompa,Spituk Monastery,Spituk Ladakh

Trekking in Ladakh >> Ladakh Monasteries Tour >> Spituk Gompa

The first of the Ge-lugs-pa foundations in Ladakh,dating from the beginning of the 15th century, Spituk was probably built on the site an earlier Ka-dam-pa monastery. Perched like so many other on a hillock, it is the seat of Kushok Bakula, the most important spiritual line in the Ladkah hierarchy. The Gompa has a commanding view of the surrounding fields and villages below. The present incarnation, a member of a junior branch of the royal family, has had a distinguished career in public life, having represented Ladakh in the Indian Parliament for two terms. When in Leh, he prefers to reside at Spituk's daughter house of Sankar.

The main buildings, without having many features of particular note, may nevertheless stand as a 'typical' Gompa. A maze of ill-lit passages and stairs, and

unexpected shrines in odd corners. Prominent among the images in the Dukhang and other temples is the terrible Vajra-Bhairav, the tutelary deity of the Ge-lugs-pa. At the uppermost level are subsidiary temples one dedicated to Tson-Ka-pa with a library of his works, and another sacred to the goddess Tara and containing superbly crafted images of her 23 manifestations. The Gon-Khang is above and a little part from the main structure, It may be the remains of the earlier monastery, Down the hill a flat boulder has engravings in shadow said to depict Tson-Ka-paand his disciples. With transport it may be possible to cover the three sites south of the Indus above Leh in a single day.

Famous Monasteries of Ladakh
Alchi Gompa	Namgyal Tsemo Gompa	Sankar Gompa	Lamayuru Gompa
Hemis Gompa	Basgo Gompa	Chemrey Gompa	Other Gompas
Thikse Gompa	Spituk Gompa	Shey Gompa