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Photographer’s Note

Lamayuru Gompa (Monastery) is a Tibetian Buddhist monastery in the Kargil district of Jammu and Kashmir, India. Situated at a height of 3510m, this Gompa was founded by the Buddhist scholar
Mahasiddhacarya Naropa in the 11th century. It is said that he had spend many years meditating in one of the caves at Dukhang. Lamayuru is one of the oldest gompa in Ladakh with a population of around 150 permanent monks.

Ancient legends say that during the time of Sakyamuni, the Lamayuru valley was a clear lake where holy serpents(Nag) lived. The Bodhisattva Madhyantaka foretold that the lake would be emptied and a monastery built there. In the 11th century when the scholar Naropa came here he caused a split in the surrounding hillside and the lake drained out. The scholar found a dead Lion on the lake bed. At this place the first temple the Singhe Ghang (Lion Mound) was built.

A particular landscape on the highway near Lamayuru is called moonland - this is said to look similar to landscape on moon. This can be seen in the image behind the main building in lighter colour. This is probably the remains of the lake mentioned in the legend.

Lamayuru is situated on the Srinagar-Kargil-Leh road 15km from Fotu La and 137km from Leh.

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Additional Photos by Manoj Nair (manojtnair) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 106 W: 1 N: 109] (427)
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