US Ambassador Sergio Gor, who visited India for a two-day visit, went to Ladakh after visiting Pari Mahal and Dal Lake in Jammu & Kashmir. Gor visited the centuries-old Thiksey Monastery on Friday, which is situated in Leh, the capital of Ladakh. Gor spent time exploring its temples and showed interest in learning about the region's cultural and spiritual heritage.
According to a monk at Thiksey Monastery, Ambassador Gor showed keen interest in Ladakh’s spiritual heritage and cultural traditions during his visit. The monastery authorities explained various aspects of the region's Buddhist culture to him.
US Ambassador Gor visits Thiksey Monastery
US Ambassador Sergio Gor visited the centuries-old Thiksey Monastery, which is also called Thiksey Monastery Gompa, affiliated with the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. It is located on top of a hill in Thiksey, which is approximately 19 kilometres from Leh. Gor was so engaged in learning the region's culture that he approximately spent half an hour visiting the temples and learning about Ladakh's tradition, Buddhist heritage and more about the place. He learnt all these from the monks here and was truly struck by the panoramic views surrounding the monastery. Leh never fails to impress.
About Thiksey Monastery
Thiksey Monastery is one of the most popular and largest monasteries in central Ladakh. It is noted for its resemblance to the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet. The monastery is situated at an altitude of 3,600 metres (11,800 ft) in the Indus Valley. It is a twelve-storey complex and houses many items of Buddhist art such as stupas, statues, thangkas, wall paintings and swords.
Thiksey Monastery | Canva
One of the main attractions from there is the Maitreya Temple. The temple commemorates the visit of the 14th Dalai Lama to this monastery in 1970. It features a 15-metre (49 ft) high statue of Maitreya, which is the largest such statue in Ladakh, covering two stories of the building.
US Ambassador Gor arrived in Leh on Thursday after a brief meeting with Jammu & Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah. His visit to J&K also marked exploring the iconic heritage sites Pari Mahal and Dal Lake.
