There are places that provide peace to the mind and a serene atmosphere, where our eyes have treated, and so our body and soul, Lamayuru Monastery, which lies between Leh and Kargil, surrounded by the moonlike landscape is one of them.
HUMBLE ABODE
Ladakh is a humble abode filled with a number of places of attractions. All of them have an incredible history and unique ambience. The most fascinating thing about these places is that these all are years and centuries-old and have faced a lot of calamities and yet their charisma remains the same. People are fond of such places which are lively after years, and the vibrations of such places are reassuring.
LAMAYURU
Lamayuru is just one of the small villages in Ladakh in the region of Jammu & Kashmir, which lies between Kargil and Leh. It lies between NH-1D, the Srinagar-Leh highway. Lamayuru is a Buddhist village with around 240 houses only. Popularly, Lamayuru is known as ‘Moonland’ because of its landscape, and it is carved in the Greater Himalayas, which gives it the moonlike structure and hence, the Moonland.
Lamayuru lies right after Fotu La pass, which is the highest pass on Srinagar-Leh highway. Fotu La Pass is 100 km from Leh. There is an army set up just a few meters away from Lamayuru, The roads to Lamayuru from Leh are in good condition for the driveway so that one could enjoy their way there.
LAMAYURU MONASTERY
A lot of monasteries reside in Ladakh, Lamayuru is one of the largest and oldest monasteries amongst them. Around 50 monasteries come under Lamayuru or Yuru Monastery, and about 300 monks are registered under Lamayuru Monastery. People often visit here due to the soothing atmosphere and peace they feel here. It is one of the major attractions for tourists.
HISTORY OF LAMAYURU MONASTERY
The history of Lamayuru Monastery goes back in the 11th century. Mahasiddha Naropa visited Lamayuru and meditated in one of its cave, which gave the beginning to build the Lamayuru Monastery. Lamayuru Monastery, which was earlier used to be known as Yungdrung Tharpling Monastery, was under a big lake during the time of Buddha Shakyamuni. The lake used to be the home of the holy serpents or the Nagas at that time.
The eastern part of the lake named Skambur was a little dry, Mahasiddha Naropa, visited Lamayuru and offered prayers to the Nagas. As a result of his offerings, a crack occurred in the ground and water leaked out of it. His prayers dried up the lake, and the entire village was fed.
The actual buildings of the Lamayuru Monastery were built by Rinchen Zangpo from 958 to 1055.
HOW TO REACH
There are few ways to reach Lamayuru; either one can rent a private vehicle from Leh or can take state transport buses. The other way to reach Lamayuru is that they can stop on their way from Srinagar to Leh.
CLIMATE, FOOD & RESIDENCE
The climate in Lamayuru is windy, extremely cold because it is situated in the cold desert region of Ladakh. The days in summer are usually hot or warm but the nights are pleasant. Rest of the year, Lamayuru witnesses heavy rainfall. So the best time to visit Lamayuru is from mid-June to mid-September. The rest of the year, people do visit, but due to the weather conditions, the beauty and serene atmosphere of the place is covered with snow, and there is less for people to witness.
There are a number of restaurants available for food. The variety is not diverse, but the availability of the local cuisine, that is, dal, roti, chapati, chow mien, momos, etc., exists.
Being a Buddhist place, the consumption of alcohol and non-veg food is negligible, but one can find a few restaurants serving the same.
There are around 200 houses of the Buddhists in Lamayuru. For visitors, there are several places for accommodation. Most of them are village houses, but they are homely and comfortable.
The Holy place offers more than beautiful sights and peaceful experience. The uniqueness lies in its simplicity. The people and places are welcoming and humble. The visit to such an incredible place once in a lifetime is a must.
