Kardang Monastery, Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Lahaul and Spiti district, India
Kardang Monastery is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery in the Lahaul and Spiti district of northern India, set on a rocky ridge above the Bhaga River. Its whitewashed buildings cling to the hillside and are clearly visible from the valley below.
The monastery was founded in the 12th century by Lama Norbu Dorje and for centuries served as the main religious center of the Lahaul region. Major renovation work carried out in the early 20th century gave the complex much of its current form.
The monastery holds a collection of Buddhist texts and painted religious scrolls known as thangkas, which hang on the walls of its prayer halls. Visitors can also observe monks during daily rituals that follow the rhythm of monastic life.
The monastery sits at above 11,000 feet (about 3,500 meters), so it is worth spending a day or two at lower altitude before heading up to let the body adjust. Summer is the most practical season to visit, as the mountain passes are open and the paths leading to the site remain walkable.
Unlike most Buddhist monasteries, the monks of Kardang are permitted to marry and raise families, which is a feature of the Drukpa Kagyu school to which the monastery belongs. This means that many of the monks live alongside their wives and children within or near the monastery grounds.
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