Spituk Gompa, Ladakh, India

Gelug Tradition, 11th century, 100 monks.

Spituk Monastery, also known as Spituk Gompa or Pethup Gompa, is a Buddhist monastery in Spituk, Leh district, Ladakh, northern India. The name “Spituk", means “exemplary” and is due to Rinchen Zangpo Lotsawa, who said that the monastery is an exemplary religious community.

Spituk Gompa. Photo: Desh Raj Rangra

Location

The monastery is 8 kilometers from Leh, at an elevation 3260m.

History

Blessed by the Arhat Nyimagung, Spituk Gompa was established in the 11th century by Od-de, the elder brother of Lha Lama Changchub Od in the Kadampa tradition.

During the time of Dharma raja Gragspa Bum-Ide the monastery was restored by Lama Lhawang Lodos and gradually the monastery went under the influence of Tsongkhapa’s tradition (Gelug) in the 15th century.

Three other monasteries of Ladakh, namely Stok, Sankar and Sabu, are subsidiaries of Spituk Gompa.

Features

The Dukhang (main temple), one of the three temples, is accessible from the main courtyard. The walls have pictures of fierce protecting deities and Buddhist canonical texts are located along the side walls. A high throne is reserved for the Dalai Lama.

Horn players in Spituk during the Gustor Festival. Photo: Morris JM, Wikipedia.A second temple has images of Tsongkhapa and his two chief disciples, also of the Buddha, Goddess Tara (Dolma in Ladakhi), and statues of previous head lamas.

The Chikhang, a smaller assembly hall, is similar to the Dukhang, and was built around 1960. It has murals, a statue of Sakyamuni, and a statue of the Eleven-Headed Avalokitesvara.

In a small room behind the Buddha statue there is an image of a guardian deity who stays covered, except for one day during the winter festival.

The new Chokhang temple above the Dukhang courtyard, is where the funeral ceremonies are performed. It has statues of Sakyamuni and of Padmasambhava.

A small temple called Dolma Lokhang is devoted to Tara, with statues representing her in different forms.

The largest temple, the Gonkhang, near the top of the complex, is dedicated to Mahakala guardian divinity. Old images of other fierce guardian deities carved from black stone are also in this temple.

Festivals

All the lamas gather at Spitok on the 28th and 29th days of the 11th month of the Tibetan calendar for the Spitok Gurstor festival, when masked dances take place. The festival ends with the sacrificial destruction of a torma.

Travel and Visiting

The monastery is located on the Srinagar Leh highway, 8 km away from Leh. Buses and taxis are available from Leh to the monastery.

Sources