Lamayuru

Lamayuru is known for its monastery, and for its “lunar” landscape – quaintly promoted as a “Moonscape” for tourists. The landscape is certainly incredible with its spectacularly odd geological formations, though this is not unique to Lamayuru.

Lamayuru Monastery is situated 127 Kms west of Leh. In the 11th, century the mahasiddha Naropa came to this place and the cave where he resided and meditated is still to be seen today. Then Rinchen Zangpo, the Translator came and built several temples and stupas and so the teaching of the Kadampa School came to flourish greatly there. Thereafter for many years the monastery was administered by the Zhwa-mar-pa (Red Hats), after which the Dharmaraja Jamyang Namgial offered it to Chosje Danma, whom he had invited to Ladakh. The rituals and observances of the Digung Kargyud School were introduced and the monastery received the name of Yundung Tharpaling. It has some beautiful frescoes and frightening masks Lamayuru is a part of the Dri-Gungpa sector in western Ladakh. Lamayuru also attracts tourists for its landscape quite similar to the lunar terrain.

Lamayuru monastery is the main attraction here. It is one of the most intriguing places to visit for sure; being one of the oldest and largest monasteries in Ladakh, it has many stories and legends associated to it. ... This monastery houses around 150 Buddhist monks, though there used to be more than 400 earlier.