[Leica] Gompas (Monasteries)

[montoid at earthlink.net (Montie)]

"huffing and puffing" would be putting it mildly I would think!
Excellent series all around!

Montie

>Ladakh being a Buddhist area is full of monasteries, so much so, I
>have always wondered how on earth they all support themselves. I
>suppose on donations and Government grants as is usual for these
>institutions. There are tons of monks around also, as, at least in
>these parts, one of the sons in each Buddhist family becomes a monk,
>and joins into a monastery in early childhood, at the age of 5 or so.
>Whether this is because of a lack of jobs in this barren place, or a
>skewed sex ratio, I do not know. Of course, they keep in touch with
>their family, and come back to live with them from time to time, it is
>actually analogous to a boarding school. Anyway, we visited a couple,
>and saw quite a few - and here are some photographs. Like most
>monasteries, they are usually dramatically perched on a peak,
>entailing much huffing and puffing to get there:
>
>Shanti Stupa: 
>http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/India/Ladakh/Ladakh_20130901_0204.jpg.html
>
>Sankar Gompa: 
>http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/India/Ladakh/Ladakh_20130904_1220.jpg.html
>
>Chemrey Gompa (Long View):
>http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/India/Ladakh/Ladakh_20130903_0629.jpg.html
>
>Chemrey Gompa (Pano Crop):
>http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/India/Ladakh/Ladakh_20130903_0629P.jpg.html
>
>Chemrey Gompa (Short View):
>http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/India/Ladakh/Ladakh_20130903_0624.jpg.html
>
>Likir Gompa: 
>http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/India/Ladakh/Ladakh_20130831_0188.jpg.html
>
>Prayer Wheel: 
>http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/India/Ladakh/Ladakh_20130831_0173.jpg.html
>
>Please see LARGE
>
>Comments and criticism, as ever, welcome.
>
>Cheers
>Jayanand
>
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