List of Himalayan monasteries and shrines
Tibetan Buddhist monasteries are known for their rich culture and traditions, which are deeply rooted in the teachings of Buddhism.
One of the most important aspects of Tibetan Buddhist monasteries is the presence of ritualistic places, which are dedicated to various deities and spiritual practices.
The space is usually large, with minimal furnishings, and may be decorated with symbolic images and objects that are relevant to the particular practices being undertaken.
[9] Within the Gompa, practitioners may work with a qualified teacher or guide to deepen their understanding of tantric practices and meditation.
They may engage in practices that involve the recitation of mantras, visualization of deities, or other advanced techniques that are aimed at achieving spiritual realization.
The Monastery temple is called Goldang Chakodar and houses the ancient religious texts – The Kangyur and Tangyur.
Labrang Monastery was built in characteristic Sikkimese architecture of Rinchhen Surgyeor; the eight sided diamond.
Sikkim: Palchen Choeling Monastic Institute, 2012 The architecture of Gangtey Gompa is typical of Bhutanese monasteries.
References : The Chendebji Chorten is a four-sided structure, each side featuring a large, painted image of one of the four Buddhas of the Vajrayana tradition.
It is situated at Trongsa, Bhutan Ref: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/chendebji-chorten (accessed on 26 March 2023) It is also called Pedma Churling Zandok Parley Monastery.
Alaka Atreya Chudal, "Sakya Monasteries in India and Bhutan, published in Himalaya, the Journal of the Association for Nepal and Himalayan Studies, Vol.
Kaushik P.D., "The Monasteries of Spiti Valley: Sakya Tangyud and Kye Gompa", published in The Tibet Journal, Vol.
Jigme Norbu : "Buddhist Monasteries in Sikkim: An Overview" , "Buddhism in South Asia: Studies in Regional Diversity" edited by Mahesh Deokar and Peter Skilling, 2018. published by Routledge The monastery was founded in 1721 during the ruling period of Jigme Pawo.
Nawang Tsering Shakspo :"Basgo: An Iconographic Analysis", published by Motilal Banarsidass https://www.wmf.org/project/basgo-gompa-maitreya-temples architectural styles.
Erberto Lo Bue,"The Iconography of the Buddhist Sculpture of Alchi, Western Himalayas, India" by published by River Books.
Nawang Tsering Shakspo: "Rewalsar Monastery: A Cultural and Historical Survey" (2010, Indus Publishing Company) 2.
Pratapaditya Pal: "The Art of Himalaya: Treasures from Nepal and Tibet" (2001, University of California Press) – includes a section on Rewalsar Monastery.
Nawang Tsering Shakspo : "Stongdey Monastery: A Cultural and Historical Survey" (2006, Indus Publishing Company) 2.
Nawang Tsering : "The Stongdey Monastery and Its History" (1991, Ladakh Ecological Development and Environmental Group) 4.
Elizabeth Valdez del Alamo :"The Ritual Life of Tibetan Monks: The Monastery of Stongdey" (1992, Routledge) The stupa is also known as the Peace Pagoda.
"Buddhist Stupas in South Asia" by Himanshu Prabha Ray, published by Oxford University Press in 2011.
"Buddhist Pilgrimage in India: The Ultimate Destination" by Swati Mitra, published by Niyogi Books in 2018, The Monastery belongs to Drukpa Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism.
"Buddhism and the Environment: A Study of the Zanskar Region of Ladakh" by Ranjan Kumar Sinha, published in the Journal of Human Ecology in 2012.
"The Hidden Himalayas: An Anthology of Contemporary Writing" edited by Patrick French and Namita Gokhale, published by John Murray Press in 2009.
File:Maitreya at Sani Gompha.jpg References "Buddhism in Ladakh: A Study of the Buddhist Himalayas" by John Bray, published by Oxford University Press in 2014.
"Buddhist Art in Ladakh: A Brief Overview" by Monisha Ahmed, published in the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society in 1998.
"The Development of Monasteries in Ladakh" by Mariko Namba Walter, published in the Journal of Asian Humanities at Kyushu University in 2012.
References: Nawang Tsering Shakspo :"Samstanling Monastery: A Cultural and Historical Survey" (2009, Indus Publishing Company) Erberto Lo Bue : "The Art of Ladakh: Studies on the Monastic Architecture and Murals" (2004, Marg Publications) P. Stobdan :"Monasteries of Ladakh" (2010, Niyogi Books) – includes a chapter on Samtanling Gompa.
Monisha Ahmed and Clare Harris (Ed) :"Ladakh: Culture at the Crossroads" (2005, Marg Publications) – includes a section on Samtanling Gompa.
Janet Rizvi (Ed)"Ladakh: Crossroads of High Asia" (1996, Oxford University Press) – includes a chapter on Bardan Monastery
