Shanti Stupa in Leh

Shanti Stupa

The ascend to Shanti Stupa in Leh started at 1.18 in the afternoon and by 1.29 i was there upstairs. There are in all 551 steps to ascend and add to that another 20-odd from meditation hall to Shanti Stupa. As you step inside the meditation hall, built in 2011, the statue of Lord Buddha is as overwhelming as seen in other monastries and palaces. On the right side is etched NA MU MYO HO REN GE KYO.

as one further ascends there is Shanti Stupa with clockwise movement elucidating
- turning wheel of dharma
- mahapari nirvana
- birth

According to the officer stationed in meditation hall,  Shanti Stupa was built by Ven Gyomo Nakamura. The construction began in 1985, over in 91,  so Shanti Stupa has been effectively there for 21 years. The proceeds from sale of post cards and other souvenirs  displayed in meditation hall go in upkeep of Shanti Stupa including the salaries for the staff. Before taking the return trek i head to the shanti stupa cafe where black tea with tea bag comes for 30 rs and with tea leaves for 40 rs. Perhaps those running the cafe could well try the option of doing away with non veg preparations including the omelette as the place is too spiritual for non veg items to be served. As none of the tourists can stay beyond few minutes-turning- to- hours, the cafe offering can be plain and simple.   

 The descend started at  2.17  and by  2.24  i was down. The steps are not that big but considering 500 plus challenge one needs to take break at different points before completing the ascent.  

As you reach Ground, the gauge shifts to a board No Heavy Vehicles between 8.30am  and 9.30 pm. On another board etched "leave sooner,  drive slow,  live longer" followed by "plant tree save environment"
Passing on the ground was the drinking water tanker run by power grid corporation of india ltd.

As i set course on areas in Leh  there is norlakh tibetan restaurant and further down is Tibetan GOL market, the chaska maska & Dosa Home restaurant. Hotel Lingzi and the personnel manning the reception desk was kind enough to give the change. Nearby is bookworm store with books in English, French and German. On a board "drive up to 5602m khardungla and roll down on a mountain bike."

Disket and roundabout

Disket and roundabout


THe collection and somewhat visible conversation happens at the Disket bus stand. For taking the return journey to Leh i reached the bus stand a little before afternoon and what i could lay hands to was information on buses heading to different destinations.  From bus stand buses go to Nungsted (100km) and Tongsted (100km).  From Tongsted, a 12 km trek makes one reach Warshi, a village known for having one family. Among other buses, one goes  to Turtuk,  near Pak border, another to Panamik, 60 km from Disket.
Buses from Disket also head to Tegar, Sumur and Trit.

During the wait at the bus stand i came across a teacher, Lobzang,. who had been in the profession for 38 years, retiring in 2010. The last drawn salary was rs 37000 and  pension since then has been 18000. His purpose of visiting Disket every 2 to 3 months was to access the bank account.  
Cobbler Madanlal, who hailed from Rajasthan and been here for over a decade, suggested the cool surroundings and affable people made him keep his base here. Similar and a liking for Disket sentiment came from other quarters.

Main bazar Disket has
- ldurma ladakh
- Nubra fashion arcade,
- Potala rest't disket nubra,
- modern choice footwear,
- yadav general store and army contractor
- tsewang norboo home entertainment arcade ldurma
 -Norbu General Store

- Gyantse Rest't Tibetan Dish
- Grand Canyon Restr't
- D K Rest't
- Tamchos mobile repairing centre
- chimet namgial cloth house
- angchok hardware store
- Tanzin Fancy Shop
- Consumer Affairs & Public Distribution Store
- Zambala Guest House
- Stop Shoppee
- altaf hardware store
- nawang sherap fancy shop.


During the search for tea, there was a poster that suggested the likely emoluments for a beginner teacher.


Vacancy for the post of teacher AGS Bogdang


Edu'tnal Quali'cation       Pay (upto scale)
B. Ed/PG                             8640
Graduate                            7800
10+2                                    6240

Written test & interview will be held at AGS bogdang on 10th july 2012 at 1030 hours

Quite close to this job interview poster has been Khidmat centre National e-governance plan, Dept. of Information Technology, Ministry of  Communication & Information Technology

As one reaches a main bazar point where roads split in different directions, the signboard has:

- left side is T SAking Yak farm
- Straight road heading to Photay,  sdm office
- right side rest house, hospital

From Disket to Leh


Left Disket on a Monday at 2.10 in the afternoon, with the board suggesting Khalsar 22km away. Just 10 minutes later, the road and the repair it sought was underway. With wait for half an hour, Khalsar was accessed at  3.10, Khardang 3.56 (Khansgar rest't for snacks). Tea was fairly good.

North Pullu  came at 4.43 with a board suggesting  facilities available:  dining hall (cap available 70 pax), cuisiune - indian, chinese, lacao, ladakhi, european, continental, double bed with attached bath, rescur room, washroom, toilet, reception


Tsolding Buddha Park at 4.56 and whatever little remnants of snow one could turn the gauge to started at   5.15.  Khardungla at 5.42 South Pullu  at 6.28  and Leh  coming at 7.10 

Occupants in the shared vehicle were largely from Army background. Conversation suggested that i better stretch my stay in Leh and try to visit monastries with monumental significance. Some among them had an opportunity to visit National Capital and i wished them well including those who seem eager to engage me and yet i failed to read the sign. After all people in this part of the country can confidently converse with you if you are hearty enough to show your affable side.  If a shared transport in Disket could be arranged for visiting Disket Palace (New Gompa), then much of the arduous journey would be a thing of the past.
A signboard suggesting the timings, one in the morning and one in the evening, of the shared vehicle would be handy.

Disket was  handy enough to distribute happiness and Doreje whom i met in Hundar village was kind enough to suggest the way out after the shared taxi which i took from Leh  dumped me in Hundar with no word on how to go forward. This shared taxi man was all politeness personified. But once having reached Disket and beyond, he seem to be in a different frame of mind. Hope the influences who influenced him for the onward journey hope to take a rest.   

Visit to Shanti Stupa and the Thiksay Monastery in Leh-Ladakh

Visit to Disket Palace (New Gompa)- Truly World Class

 Visit to  Disket Palace (New Gompa)- Truly World Class  

From Real Siachen lodge, the ride to Disket Palace (New Gompa) is steep as well as secure. It took almost an hour to reach the Maitri Buddha statue.

According to Shastry, who graduated from Sanskrit University, Varanasi and is stationed in Disket, Maitiri Buddha also known as  Future Buddha has a height of 105 ft. The construction began in July 2005 and completed in 2010. Disket monastery purchased eight kg of gold from Japan and from head to waist it is coated with gold . The construction cost is believed to be Rs 3 cr (aprx.).
On the back side of the statue as one ascends stairs to get inside the temple on the left side is founder of yellow sect  (geapa) Sunkhapa Mayern.  In the middle is Lord Buddha and on the right is Founder of Dupa Nama

The paper pasted on the door has following inputs.

The feeder silk route and its impact on Disket Palace (New Gompa)

With the threat of brigands who used to prey on traders passing through the silk route in the valley more often than not strayed to rob villagers. The Disket king & his courtiers were not insulated to such threats, they always remained guarded. The two wooden gates which enclosed the palace and the royal houses were manned to the hilt especially. Outer gate which is now copmpletely removed has still a flat stone etched out on a chess board. Given a mouth this stone would let you relish the story of Mongol chieftain who dared to come to the temple and later ended up in his head and hand being chopped by the protector. Leaving nothing to chance as a huge watch tower has been erected and frequented by sentinels. Another side has a narrow gorge from which in the first place hardly anyone can climb up to the palace. Villagers which constituted like groomers. Soldiers, farmers, shepherds were fenced off on to the same craggy hill . The community was tightly knit in order to grapple with invariable threats.

After reading the inputs i told the officer that inputs need to be tied a bit. Still the officer was kind enough to hand out information and i stepped out.

Setting for Disket (Nubra Valley)

Setting for Nubra Valley


For Nubra Valley left Leh at 7.07 am on a Sunday. Small hutments are visible from starting point and road indicators show Ganglas 8 and Khardungla 39 kms. Another board shows Leh viewpoint altitude 13000 ft and a clear view of the city can be secured when12 kms away.
At 7.37  two trucks are found to be stationed with good luck sign on the rear side.
At 7.48 at South Pullu check post military police board reads "we respect those who respect law. " From here Khardungla is 14, North Pullu 29 and Khardung 48 kms.

At 7.52 the road rupture is followed by slush, pebbles and sighting of snow.  At 8: 17 rocks covered with thick blanket of snow and ascending peaks are all that make the sight.
Avalanche prone area drive carefully board repeatedly we come across. At 8.40 traffic control post is shown to be 200 mtrs away with no escape from snow capping. This is followed by Khardungla (18380 ft) coming at 8.47 and not to forget a truck bearing TKE 4650

When North Pullu is 14 kms away small cars and small roads can be sighted and when Khalsar is 56kms
the  descend begins. At 9.11 road gets even and at 9.36 snow begins to recede. Soon after comes Tsolding Buddha Park  At 9.47 north pullu comes and Disket (some spell it Diskit) from here is 66kms away. At 10.25 Khardang comes followed by meals at Khalsar rest't  The wait is for 1 hour and from here the road is fairly good and i reach  Disket at 1 in the afternoon. Since the man seating in the shared taxi has enough powers to not let  me deboard  i head towards Hundar. More of a camping site and lodges coming at a high rate i trek back to the main road from where the walk is not brisk but not uncomfortable either. It is at Cafe 125 best cafe on world's heightest motorable road that appears  as a comforting point.


Here in Cafe 125, the items on display are
balushai - 10, laddu- 10, samosa - 10, dal vada - 10, vada sambhar 12, jalebi 120 (kg), madpsa 20, uttapam and idli.
Siachen healers 403 field hospital is in the vicinity as the board on the road suggests.

When i reached Leh

 When i reached Leh

When i reached Leh the signboard near the bus stand conveyed the varying distances for different destinations. The first appropriate declaration was "Project Himank welcomes you to Leh"
Sumur- 117kms, Agham 119, Hunder 125, Penamic 150 and Disket (some spell it diskit)118.

On the first Friday of stay the Leh city saw visit by a head lama from the South to Chokhang Vihara Gonpa Soma, primarily meant to oversee the special prayers/teachings in the Ladakhi  Buddhist temple.The area around main bazar has been dotted with shops like:
-Tibetan and Zanskar arts
- Himalayan gems
- rizwan crafts
- Leh Pashmina shawl emporium
- New Tibetan kitchen

Near post office
- Ladakh art palace zanskar arts
- Tibetan arts & handicrafts
- Ladakh thanka centre
- Traditional Ladakh kitchen with pure veg organic food
- Evergreen arts emporium
-  cute arts & crafts
- shangloo heritage
- Lhasa art 100 per cent pashmina shawls, Kashmere shawls, Kanu shawls & silk pashm'a shawls,
  silk & scarves
- Wazwan planet
- Himalayan Pashmina Shawl
- Ladakh Pas'na shawl

Near Gonpa Soma are
- internet direct satellite connection
- pamposh shake corner
- norlakh tibetan restaurant : norlakh family welcomes you to our small family rest't



As you turn towards Changspa road, there is a poster of Norbulingka Institute, probably another chapter to the one existing near Dharamsala in Himachal. "Norbulingka institute is a centre for art and dedicated to the preservation of tibetan art and culture."
In and around Changspa are :

- mahabodhi yoga meditation centre
- mount himalaya tour & travels
- Gift art gallery Shanti Stupa road - changspa Leh-Ladakh
 - Himalayan bikers
- royal tibet - the world of T-shirt embroidery n more
- coffee cafe
 - sweet chilli restaurant
- bike for rent
- gift art india
- We organise trekking (join group)  jeep tour, nubra & pangong lake, rafting in zanskar, cultural trip (daily trip to monastries and villages), bike tours, safaris, expeditions, rafting, trekking and home stay
During a visit to a cafe i came across cookies of cylindrical and varying shape like butter cookies, muesli cookies, peanut c'kies, coconut c'kies, choco c'kies and almond ckies among others.


 Chandu market has among other attractions a slew of tea stalls. Tea stalls and others go by the name : 
-Lobzang Choglanga
- national tea stall
- tololing tea stall
- shalim tea stall
- nindum tea stall
- Iqrah tea stall
- mohammad toha run tea stall

A message etched on a wall near the place from where a share taxi for Nubra can be accessed : Ladakh students environmental action forum " a clean environment is good for everyone but we are far from none"

During one of the outings from Leh i headed to Shey Palace and the bus going past govt of rural developmental agency, ice hockey kink, welcome to model village serboo, reglam school (Choglamsar). Reached Shey after half an hour. Once Shey Palace had been explored, i headed towards Upshi through Karu. Lasting another half an hour the ride went past a helipad and Karu seem to be any small town with fewer collections. In Karu
-  modern tibetan restaurant 
- office of chaiman jai jawan jai kisan fruits and vegetables cooperative karu

From karu the signboard showed
 Stakna 10, Choglamsar 28 and Spangmik 119kms.
Going past military station karu i came across trishul parade ground, trishul officer mess.

From karu there are boards with pictures/declarations of
- red shell duck
- red billed chough
- himank unit run canteen.
- Ego village (is it Ego Village or igoo village as different letters spell the place)
- "we are on a highway not runway drive slowly"

In Upshi : we are in Shaurya Chakra RCC

Collections around Upshi came as follows
- padma namtso restaurant
- upshi fast meals veg non veg
- good morning - morning thunders like tea, coffee mentioned here

The board at Upshi showed
Thiksey 31, Leh 49, Kargil 273, Srinagar 481, Chumathang 88, Loma 153, Hanle 201 kms

A mani prayer wheel next to the border checking point is in Upshi and sitting next to which one can view the broad message on a mountain "pashmina goat farm upshi".

Visiting Shey Palace near Leh

Reaching Shey Palace

THe ride from Leh was accomplished in a public transport and in a span of half an hour i was in Shey Palace. Before completing the ride on the way there are declarations on the need to optimally use water in and around Leh-Ladakh.

 As one begins to ascend stairs to Shey Palace, there is a signboard that conveys the historical import of the structure.
"Shey palace  including shrine together with adjacent land (Shey Palace) (Lat 34* 10'N, Long 77*35'E) 15 kms to the south upstream from Leh. The royal palace and shrine built in the 16th century  enshrines the DU- KHANG with the copper gilded statue of Lord Buddha rising to a height of three storeyed. King Dendan Namgyal built the palace in and around AD 1650. The palace has the largest Namgyal Cherten (Victory Stupa) in Ladakh which is made of pure gold.


After ascending the stairs one should remove the shoes before stepping inside to view the Lord Buddha statue. Inside the Lord Buddha statue is strong enough to cast a magic spell. On the left side is Chakpa Maylen (religious protector) and on right is Paldan Lhamo, fierce form of Savasvati female Bodhisatava of wisdom.Perhaps the donation box does not engineer that much collection than the exercise of offering cash, fruits and incense sticks before the Lord in open that endures.  By and large the Shey Palace and the Lord Buddha inside is a master piece which should be viewed if one is in the vicinity of Leh. One can further visit upstairs and throw the gauge on the landscape.

After stepping out opposite to the palace is shil khar restaurant from where the rice and mixed vegetable option is sumptuous enough to secure a strong recall.
 Shey Palace was great and so were the surroundings.