Sha-shur in the local parlance means in the blue pines. This is very apt as good patches of blue pine can still be seen around the monastery.
This gompa was founded in the 17th C. AD by Lama Deva Gyatsho of Zangskar who was a missionary of Nawang Namgyal, the king of Bhutan. The lamas of the gompa are of the Drugpa sect (red hat sect). Namgyal founded this sect and the name originated from Dug which in the Bhoti language means Bhutan. Before Deva Gyatsho renovated the present monastery, there existed a small gompa. Deva Gyatsho stayed at the monastery till his death. When he was being cremated, this is said, his heart did not burn and was enclosed in a black image of Gyatsho. A statue of Namgyal is also present in the gompa.
This gompa has the biggest Thanka paintings, over fifteen feet, and invalueable wall paintings depicting all the 84 siddhas of Buddhism. In the month of June/July Chham is performed in the monastery which is the most popular...
Read moreShashur Buddhist. Monastery. Is. Approx 8 Kms From Keylong. City in. Lahaul Distt of. Himachal It. Is. Perched. High on. A. Himalayan Slope Surrounded. By. Pir Pinjal. Himalayan Mountain Ranges. And. Is. A. Ancient. Buddhist. Monastery Not. Much on. The. Tourist. Radar as. Most Of. Tourists. Who. Travel on. The. Manali Leh. Highway. ByPasses. Either Because They Have Not. Heard of. It. Or. Have No Interest in Visiting it. I. Visited. It. Since. I. Had. Heard And. Read about it and. So. I. Made A Special Trip to. Keylong. And. Stayed. Overnight to Do Local. Sightseeing. And. To. Visit Shashur Buddhist. Monastery and. Came. Away. So Impressed. With. It's. Off the. Beaten. Track Locations. It's. Sheer. Quiet and. Scenic Beauty And. Not. A. Soul. Around. When. I. Visited Expect. The. In House Local. Lama The. Student. Buddhist. Priest Who Come Here to. Become. Buddhist. Priest and. Then To. Serve. The....
Read moreThe walk was long, but incredibly beautiful. When I reached the monastery, the holy spaces were dusty and disorganized with empty cardboard boxes. The tapestries at the monastery were beautiful. All in all, the monastery felt sad, not joyful as others have felt to me.
I associate Buddhism with the saying, “May All Beings Be Happy.” I found a beautiful dog on the second floor terrace tied up on a very short chain. I suspect the dog was depressed because it barely lifted his head as I walked by, did not wag his tail, did not register pleasure at being petted and looked blank. It was a...
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