Sankar Monastery

Sankar Gompa is considered one of the must-visit places in the Northern part of India. If you are a traveler and a lover of nature, then you must not ignore this heavenly place. Sankar Gompa or Sankar Monastery is said to be a subsidiary of Spituk Monastery that has the same Lama. Sankar Monastery is located a short distance (near about 2 km) from Leh, and tourists can visit the Gompa easily on foot. The Sankar Monastery belongs to the Gelukpa sect of Buddhism. The head sect of Ladakh, Kushok Bakul, is the official resident of this Gompa. There are 25 lamas belonging to the yellow-hat sect attached to the Gompa, but among them, only a few are permanent residents. Sankar Monastery has constructed 90 (approx.) years ago but is sharing the premises of a 500 years old temple.

The Sankar Gompa has stone boundary walls around the monastery. At the assembly hall of the Gompa, there is a portrait of the head lama Kushok Bakul Rinpoche (who is said to be the senior incarnate lama due to his personal authority and ancient lineage) who died in the year 2004. The entrance of the assembly hall is decorated on either side of the door with the paintings of the guardians of the Four Directions. On the left wall of the entrance Verandah, there is a ‘Wheel of Life’ held by a lama. The walls of the Gompa are splashed with wonderful paintings of different Buddhas. On the right side of the throne, there is a picture of Avalokitesvara with 11 heads and 1000 arms.

Tourist Attractions in Sankar Monastery

The Sankar Gompa is located a distance of 2-3 km from the main town of Leh. Tourists need to adhere to the fixed visiting hours to enter the monastery. The monastery remains open from 7 am to 10 am and 5 pm to 7 pm. If you plan to visit the Sankar Gompa, then you are going to experience the best of nature’s creation as the surroundings of the monastery share a marvelous beauty of the Himalaya. Otherwise, you can also visit the nearby monasteries in Ladakh such as Spituk Monastery, Diskit Monastery, and much more.

Best Time to Visit Sankar Monastery

If you ask for the perfect time to visit Sankar Monastery, then you are advised to book your tour package from March to October. This is because after the month of November, all the roads connecting Ladakh remain closed due to heavy snowfall. So if you are planning to visit the Gompa, then to enjoy the trip fully, confirm your booking for the months of March to October. As during this period of time, the mountain gets decorated with all the possible colours in the universe.

So why are you still hesitating? Do not think much and book your tickets. Remember, the more time you wait, the more tickets will be booked. So do hurry and confirm your trip without a delay.

How to Reach Sankar Monastery

As Sankar Gompa is located a little distance from Leh, you can visit the monastery on foot. For people who would indulge in walking, it requires turning left at the junction near the postcard shop of Ali Shah, then taking a right turn and following the concrete path. You will have a glance of the Sankar Gompa after 20 minutes of walking. You will find that the monastery is surrounded by a mud wall along with sun-bleached chortens. But if you have any handicapped or aged member of your group, then you can hire a personal cab or taxi. Flights from Delhi to Leh are available. So visit the monastery and experience nature.