|
|
Buddhism,
especially the Trans-Himalayan Buddhism from Tibet is the very essence of
living in Ladakh .
Partly because of the royal patronage, the central part of Ladakh has the
greatest concentration of major Gompas or monasteries. From the twelve
situated near the Indus River banks, a must visit is the oldest Lamayuru
believed to have been a sacred site for pre-Buddhist religion known as
'Bon'. Monasteries of Phiyang, Hemis and Chemrey belong to the Namgyal
dynasty period and are a major attraction during their monastic festivals.
The reformist group monasteries are also well represented in central
Ladakh by Thikse, Likkir, Rhidzong and Spituk.