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Diskit Monastery also known as Deskit Gompa or Diskit Gompa is the
oldest and largest Buddhist monastery (gompa) in the Nubra Valley of
Ladakh, northern India. It belongs to the Gelugpa (Yellow Hat) sect of
Tibetan Buddhism. It was founded by Changzem Tserab Zangpo, a disciple
of Tsong Khapa, founder of Gelugpa, in the 14th century. It is a sub-gompa
of the Thikse gompa.
Lachung Temple and Hundur Monastery are also located nearby, the latter
is below the main road near a bridge. The monastery has statue of
Maitreya Buddha in the prayer hall, a huge drum and several images of
fierce guardian deities. An elevated cupola of the moanstery depicts a
fresco of the Tashilhunpo Monastery of Tibet.
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The Monastery administration runs a school, with support from a
Non-Government Organization (NGO) known as the "Tibet Support Group",
which has computer facilities and teaches science subjects, in English,
to Tibetan children of the region.
A popular festival known as Dosmoche or the "Festival of the Scapegoat"
is held in the precincts of the monastery in February during the winter
season, which is largely attended by people from villages of the Nubra
Valley since the other regions in Leh are inaccessible during this
period due to heavy snow fall.
How to
reach
Nearest airport is Kushok Bakula Rimpochhe
Airport (Leh Airport) in Leh, which is connected to Delhi,
Chandigarh and Srinagar. The nearest railway station to Ladakh is Jammu.
From Jammu you can head to Srinagar by road and then to Ladakh, which is
some 434 kilometers away. It is about a two-day journey from Srinagar
with a night halt at Kargil.
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