• A young monk runs during a break from his studies inside Thiksey Monastery.
    A young monk runs during a break from his studies inside Thiksey Monastery.
  • Prayer flags fly at Namgyal Tsemo Monastery above the town of Leh in Ladakh, India.
    Prayer flags fly at Namgyal Tsemo Monastery above the town of Leh in Ladakh, India.
  • Young monks get some fresh air during a break from school.
    Young monks get some fresh air during a break from school.
  • Shanti Stupa, which contains the relics of the Buddha, stands on a hilltop in Chanspa, Leh district, Ladakh, India.
    Shanti Stupa, which contains the relics of the Buddha, stands on a hilltop in Chanspa, Leh district, Ladakh, India.
  • Young monks take a break from their studies in Ladakh.
    Young monks take a break from their studies in Ladakh.
  • A Maitreya Buddha is seen at Thiskey Monastery near the town of Leh, Ladakh, India.
    A Maitreya Buddha is seen at Thiskey Monastery near the town of Leh, Ladakh, India.
  • A young monk practices martial arts during a break from his studies.
    A young monk practices martial arts during a break from his studies.
  • Young monks study at their school inside the Thiksey Monastery in Ladakh.
    Young monks study at their school inside the Thiksey Monastery in Ladakh.
  • Young monks prepare for class at the Thiksey Monastery in Ladakh, India.
    Young monks prepare for class at the Thiksey Monastery in Ladakh, India.
  • A young monk takes in the view of Ladakh during a break from class.
    A young monk takes in the view of Ladakh during a break from class.
  • A young Buddhist monk is seen standing near a Buddha inside the Thiksey monastery.
    A young Buddhist monk is seen standing near a Buddha inside the Thiksey monastery.

Inside India: Young monks in the Himalayas

James O’Hara

January 12, 2017

  • English
  • Arabic

High in the Himalayas, young novice monks in maroon robes take their lessons inside the 15th-century Thiksey monastery. The monastery is located at an altitude of 3,600 metres (11,800 ft) in the Indus Valley, in Ladakh, India. It is a twelve-story complex and houses many items of Buddhist art such as stupas, statues, thangkas, wall paintings and swords. One of the main points of interest is the Maitreya Temple installed to commemorate the visit of the 14th Dalai Lama to the monastery in 1970. It also contains a 15 metre (49 ft) high statue of Maitreya Buddha, the largest such statue in Ladakh, covering two stories of the building.

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