Thiksey Goemba and Shey Palace

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(Continued from previous blog entry) - The journey back from Hemis saw us arrive at Thiksey Goemba in virtually no time. Still, the mind plays tricks on you; the distance often seems shorter than it really is. Gazing toward the destination it felt like all the twists and turns in the road kept creeping out of nowhere to try to disorient and delay our journey for little good reason. The large temple complex at Thiksey sits high atop a narrow hill around which the highway snakes itself. Though much smaller, it has the typical iconic look of the Potala in Lhasa, of which it appears to be a not so distant cousin. A village lies spread out around the higway, typically with people and animals bumbling about on the curb. White stupas in various degrees of decay also line the perimeter at regular intervals.

Veering off the highway a dusty road slithers in among the houses at the foot of the hill and gradually ascends toward the top, coming in from the northern flank. Being an old reveler in Himalaya means doing a lot of climbing, and with the tantric concept of increased rewards for repeated effort means you see a lot of old people negotiating hills of all sizes (sometimes giving you more than a match on the way to the top). I still vividly recall having just started the two hour hike to Taktshang Goemba in Paro. Just a few minutes into the climb I started wondering how on Earth I was going to see it through. Exactly at that time I noticed an old couple racing up the hill giving my ego just that neccesarry boost, not to be outperformed by people more than twice my age (not sure I would come to the same conclusion today though...). The Thiksey climb though, is short and not particularly taxing at all. At the top sits the usual white buildings, assembly halls, temples and monk dormitories; the most spectacular being a redfaced building housing a two story statue of Lord Maitreya, the Future Buddha. You enter at the top floor and the 15 meter tall statue peeks out from the story below through an opening in the floor. After a quick walkaround you find yourself staring into the lively eyes of his. Like many similar statues the expression is very lifelike.

Next door is another smaller temple dedicated to Tara. Apart from her green and white forms which are seen commonly, you can also see the divine boddhisattva appearing in all her 21 different forms, each represented by a small statue inside a shelf covered with glass panels. There are probably other structures of interest as well (we didn't see the protector deity's shrine for example), though after this visit we went back downhill to the entrance gate for our packlunch. The hotel had prepared little white cardboard boxes that were to become familiar faces over the coming days. Wrapped inside we found sandwiches, a boiled egg, lime pickled chili, chapati bread, a bottle of juice and some crackers. It was a peaceful moment sitting at the small crumbling wall overlooking the dusty village and the distant mountains with their striking zebra snow patterns, at least until a gust of wind grabbed hold of the tin foil wrappings and we had to give chase...

After lunch we continued back toward Leh for the last stop of the day, Shey palace and monastery. Also located along the same dusty road, the former Ladakhi summer capital is a glorious palace building perched atop a pointy hill just above the highway, the cars literally rounding the structure. In front of the palace, across the road, the land is marshy and full of pools of water and little strands of swampy vegetation. I suspect a more focused examination might reveal some interesting birdlife there. Instead we carefully rushed across the busy road and stumbled up on a trail of gravel and small rocks and boulders up to the main entrance doorway. This section was obviously newly restored, as the palace structure is in a slightly worn down state. Walking the ledges and passages, methodically spinning those prayer wheels which lined the way, we soon arrived at the main temple hall, again occupied by a tall statue, though this time of Buddha Shakyamuni. The statue sits in the middle of the room and reaches to the third floor where you emerge face to face at the top level of a dark chamber, the walls covered with the stains of smoke from a history of countless burning butter lamps. The cracked walls have some fine though faint displays of famous arhats, those blessed to have reached enlightenment, though I myself took particular interest in the various imagery of protector deities and other mythical creatures. After completing our visit we zipped across the busy highway again and headed back toward Leh. - (Continues in next blog entry)

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Photos

Maitreya - The Future Buddha, Shey palace
The crowned two storey statue of Maitreya seated in the lotus position is 15 meters tall.

Thiksey goemba
One of the largest goembas in Ladakh, in a striking location.

Zebra
The melting snow creates interesting patterns on the cliffs

Thiksey goemba
Hidden away in the Ladakhi mountain ranges like a mythical palace of the heavens

Thiksey goemba
All structures face the east side of the cliff

View from Thiksey goemba
The sleepy village along the Leh-Manali higway. In the far distance you can see Stakna goemba perched on a hillock next to the river.

Thankas in Maitreya's chamber
Thiksey goemba

Wall paintings in Maitreya's chamber
Thiksey goemba

How about some treasure?
Wall painting, Thiksey goemba

Nice colours
Thiksey goemba

Knock knock
Doorway to Maitreya's chamber, Thiksey goemba

Beware of dragons bearing gifts
Wall paintings in Tara's chamber, Thiksey goemba

The classic Ladakh lunch kit
Chapati bread, sandwiches, lime pickled chili, a boiled egg, some crackers, orange juice and a few sweets.

Marshland in front of Shey palace
Thiksey goemba can be seen on it's characteristic hillock in the distance

Comments

[Dancing Dave]

WORTH THE WAIT
Beautiful blog Johan...breathtaking pics...the tectonic forces etched in the panorama...Ladakh...still top of my wish list...next blog soon please.