Dhankar Monastery
Location
The Dhankar Monasteries are situated near Kaza town Spiti valley of
Himachal Pradesh.
The Pilgrimage
The spread of Buddhism in Asia Pacific region can be accredited to its
non-violence and peaceful principles. Most of the East-Asian countries
came under Buddhist influence. China, Tibet were no exception to this.
Tibet shared its borders with Himachal Pradesh, and thus one can see the
clear impact of Tibet art and culture on Himachal Pradesh. There are
many monasteries in Himachal Pradesh which were built on the lines of
Tibetan style. One such place is Dhankar, where many Buddhist
mmonasteries were constructed. The Dhankar monasteries are among the
most beautiful monasteries of Spiti valley. Dhankar is a big village and
the erstwhile capital of Spiti King. Dhankar means "A place in the
mountains unreachable for strangers" and is which is home to few
monasteries associated with the Great Translator, Rinchen Zanggpo.
Design of the Monastery
Dhankar is situated on the altitude of 12,774 feet, near Kaza. It was
traditional Capital of Spiti valley kingdom during 17th century. The
Dhankar monasteries are sets picturesquely on a clay hill above
Shichilling village. There is a castle on the hill top, which was once
under rule of Spiti kings. The Dhankar monastery belongs to Gelugspa
School of order. Set against a lunar landscape of crumbling cliffs, the
' Lha Opa Gompa' dates back to the 12th century. The Gompa has over 150
monks, some fascinating 'thangka' sculptures and a statue of the 'Dhyan
Buddha'. Some of the Gompas were destroyed during a particularly harsh
winter in 1989. Principal figure is a statue of "Vairochana"
(Dhayan Budha) consisting of 4 complete figures seated back to back. It
has relics in the shape of paintings and sculptures. The landscape and
aura of Dhankar Monastery in Himachal makes a spell binding impact on
the visitor of this Buddhist site, making it an experience of lifetime.
How to Reach
Dhankar is 24 kms from Kaza, the nearest town. Kaza can be appe\roached
by road from Manali and Shimla. Kaza is 210 kms from Manali and 350 kms
from Shimla. From Kaza, one has to move towards North to reach the
Dhankar hill station.
