22 January 2018, Hemis Monastery, near Leh, Ladakh, India

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From Thiksay Monastery, we continued on towards Hemis Monastery.  On the way, across the Indus River, we could see Stakna Monastery.

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It dates from the second half of the 16th century and the name means “tiger’s nose”, referring to the shape of the hill on which it is built.

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Up in the mountains we can see some radical folding arising from the collision of India with Asia some 45 million years ago.

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Reflections and ice on the Indus River.

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A stupa seemingly of modern construction with an array of small buildings around it.

(An image snatched in passing from the moving car.)

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Arriving at Hemis monastery.

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Wikipedia says the monastery was established in 1672 by Ladakhi king Sengge Namgyal.  This is quite remarkable since Sengge Namgyal died in 1642.  Reincarnation in action, perhaps.

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Based on a noticeboard at the site, the date should be 1626 and an eminent yogi meditated in a cave near here in the 13th century.

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Hemis is the biggest and wealthiest monastery in Ladakh and has 200 branch monasteries and responsibility for more than 100 monks.

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Hemis Monastery in 1870 (Public domain/ Wikipedia).  The buildings in the background are no longer there.  Nor are the big trees (if they were ever more than artistic license).

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This is the great square where dance festivals are held every year, and on a greater scale, every twelve years.

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Though many parts of the monastery were closed, we were able to visit a large inner chamber.

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