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India - Rhizong and Likir.
Rizong and Likir are key Yellow Hat gompas with relatives of the Dalai Lama in charge at both. Located near Alchi, Rizong sits at the top a spectacular gorge, whilst Likir and it's giant Buddha dominate the local village and a countryside that would not be out of place in Tibet proper.
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Likir Gompa Lucky timing meant arriving here at the height of the monk's prayer and chanting (sorry, I don't know the Buddhist name for it). Luckier was catching a sound recording of it. Even luckier was having the crap scared out of me when the boy monk right next to me gave me a full blast of his horn that I didn't know he had hidden under his robes!!! |
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Monks Chanting (including loud horn), Likir Gompa (MP3 format, will open in separate window or player - close when finished) |
| Likir was founded in 1065 by Lama Duwang Chosje after been given the land by the Ladakhi king. It was taken off the Khadampa sect by the Gelugpa sect (the Dalai Lama's Yellow Hat lot) in 1470 and remains a Yellow Hat sect gompa to this day. It's dedicated to the three Buddhas - Marme Zat (past), Shakyamuni (present) and Maitreya (future). Likir is also the starting point for a two day trek to Temisgang via Rizong - if you're fit enough, go for it. I managed the Saspol to Likkir section and some of the views from the pass tops are spectacular. |
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Poll admiring giant Buddha, Likir This pesky parrot gets everywhere. Poll has just read that the Japanese provided the finance to have the Buddha restored. It's not clear how old the Buddha is and was either Japanese-built or restored. Whatever. |
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Picture of Dalai Lama, Likir What's wrong with this picture (apart from the fact it's a bit blurry - you try taking a good picture in low light without a tripod)? Nothing!!! That's the point I'm trying to make especially to people who've been to Tibet. You don't see the Dalai Lama's picture in the open, even in the most devout Yellow Hat monasteries there. A few miles away in Ladakh, you even see them in the rival Red Hat monasteries. The Chinese who see the Dalai Lama as a separatist leader will not allow his picture to appear and instead, you see pictures of their 'Panchen Lama' (the one they picked and not the one who they did magic on - i.e. made disappear). |
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Rhizong Gompa and more spectacular mountains Poll outside Rhizong, which is situated at the top of a spectacular gorge (not shown due to lack of webspace). Rhizong is a seventeenth century gompa, thus is relatively new by Ladakhi standards. The place is full of thangkas and murals, amongst which there are images of Shakyamuni, Amitaus (Buddha of Long Life) and Chenrezig (Buddha of Compassion). There's also a small nunnery called Thardot Choling here, which many miss (including me). Yes, all these Buddhas do get confusing after a while. The bottom picture is a footbridge over the the Indus near Rhizong, accompanied by more spectacular mountain scenery. |
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Indus - Zanskar confluence and suicidal donkeys (Likir to Leh) I got involved in a rafting trip through this - fun!!! It's possible to raft from Leh down to just past this point, on what is a low grade rafting trip that beginners can manage. Yes, I got a taste for it and would love to try again. The Zanskar holds some record for apparently being the fastest flowing river (the maths I haven't got a clue about) and also during the winter freezes over to become the main access route into Zanskar. Yup, some nutty tourists actually trek on the river's frozen surface during the winter - they'd better hope the greenhouse effect (which is melting glaciers all over Ladakh) doesn't stop the river freezing properly. As for the donkeys, well they just seemed to make their home in the middle of the road. I can hear the local white van men rubbing their hands with glee. |
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