Some Fascinating Facts About Hemis Monastery

Hemis monastery is considered as the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Ladakh region. To know its history you have to go long way back to 11th century the period in which it was established. Post establishment, it went to stupor and then was re-established by the king of Ladakh Sengge Namgyal in 1672. It is of great significance due to Hemis festival which is held annually. Hemis festival is the major Buddhist festival and marks the birth anniversary of Guru Padmasambhava.

· It is one of the world’s highest settlements at an altitude of 12, 000 feet.

· It is headquarter of Drukpa ancestry and all the monasteries of Ladakh are administered here.

· It is the Lamas’ training centre for all the royal monasteries.

· Hemis monastery houses an assortment of valuable items such as copper-gilt Lord Buddha’s statue, holy thankas, numerous silver and gold stupas and many other artifacts.

· It is alienated into two parts- the assembly hall ‘Dukhang’ on the right and main temple ‘Tshogkhang’ on the left.

· The structure of this monastic complex itself is the feat of architecture. Intrinsic design qualities, unique murals of 17th century, 3-dimensional ‘mandala’ with gold paint and different pigments.

· It is situated inside a gorge surrounding by mountain rocks and is covered inside the Hemis National Park.