Thiksey Monastery

Thiksey is 20 km from Leh is the most picturesque monastery of Ladakh. It belongs to Gelukpa order (Yellow Hat). It is built like the Potala Palace of Tibet. This is very famous among the tourists because it is situated on a splendid hill-top perch, overlooking the green valley of the Indus, in the 12-storeyed Thiksey monastry which is more than 800 years old. Within the Monastry are 10 temples, sixty lamps and a few nuns or the Chomos , whose heads like the lama are shaved. The chambres of this institution are treasure troves of gold and silver statues of Buddha, ancient swords, thankas and the Tantrik wall paintings. There is also a huge brass pillar which was brought from Tibet, engraved with Buddha's sayings. A fair is held here in the twelvth month of the lunar year.