The Monastero Spituk or Spituk Monastery is located on Leh-Srinagar road at the top of a hill. This Monastery is nearly 8 kms away from Leh district of Jammu & Kashmir. It is about 3000 mts above the mean sea level. It was founded by monarch Ol-de of Guge nearly 1040-1050. It belongs to the tradition of Kadampa Buddhist which is a school of Buddhist Tibetan Mahayana. However, slowly, the cultural stronghold was lost by the order and ultimately, the Gelugpa order was originated in the 15th century, probably around 1430, and henceforth, the Yellow Hat sect has sustained in the Monastery. It is known that the Monasteries of Saboo, Sankar and Stok, which are the branches of Monastero Spituk only. This monastery consists of three chapels in the complex. Monastero Spituk is a home for around 100 monks which live inside the Monastery.

The giant statue of Kali which is perched in the Paldon Lamo temple on the top level magnetizes the visitors to the utmost point of Spituk Monastery. The implausible view of Leh's scenery with River Indus rolling by is a pleasant surprise for the visitors. The Spituk Monastery has a lavish green surrounding and the huge Gokhang mountain range at the back. On this mountain, there is a shrine, with lots of lamps. There is a statue of Buddha which is 10 feet in height along with the images of Atisha and Avalokitesvara, inside the assembly hall. There are also frescoes of various Buddhist deities decorated on the walls. The temples and compound of the Monastery look disjointed because of its construction at different levels and distinct dimensions. 

There are numerous smaller temples inside the monastery compound which houses Guhyasamaja, Vajra-Bhairava, the tantric divinities and Samvara. The Kushok Bakula Rinpoche who is one of the sixteen Arhats (those Buddhist saints who have gained freedom, by suffering, from the rebirth cycle and achieved nirvana), is right at the topmost of the upstairs that goes to the Dukhang a wonderful prayer wheel which is located there. On one of the walls, there is a board which is suspended where the inspirational thoughts of His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama's are expressed in easy language that will surely strike an instant chord with any person in those holy surroundings.

According to the Tibetan calendar, in the 11th month, the Gustor annual festival is celebrated. It continues for 27 to 29 days. This festival is celebrated in the month of January, when people from the region of Leh-Ladakh come all the way to the Monastero Spituk to participate in the dance. These are the unique attractions in the festival. On this special occasion, all the people including old and young, tourists and locals, everyone wore colorful masks and also dance on folk music, as a celebration to the start of the New Year. In this Spituk’s annual festival, there is the inauguration of the huge Kali idol, which is noticeable by presence of thousands of venerators.

History

The central structure of the Spituk Monastery was established in the 11th century, mainly under the Buddhist sect of the Kadampa School. Over the years, the disciples of Dharmaraja Takspa Bum enlarged in potency and in the same Monastery, he set up the Gelukpa sect of Buddhism. By him a lot of renovation work was done in this period. At present also, the Gelukpa school of Buddhism, rules all the festivals and customs inside the Monastero Spituk. The chief monks working in this Monastery are believed to be the consecutive reincarnations of Bakula Rinpoche, even though Lord Buddha is the mainly honored deity inside the temple. Basis of the celebration of masks, which is the most important aspect of this Monastery, is because of the mythological faith that spirits rove around in the province of the Monastero Spituk and the fiesta is celebrated to dispose of these spirits and ask for benisons from the Shamans.

Architecture

Monastero Spituk consists of three important pilgrimages. One of the pilgrimages include the sculpture of Lord Buddha whereas there is also a little finger length statue of Amitayus, which was offered to Takspa Bum-Lde by Tsongkhapa. Within these pilgrimages, there are great collections of masks from olden times, arms, thangkas, antique items etc are also there, other than the paintings and scriptures which are related to Buddhism. In the interior of the main pilgrimage, a throne is there, which is set aside the far end Dukhang, or the core temple, which is particularly for the Dalai Lama. The door at the back of the throne goes to the old chapel. In this chapel, there is the image of Buddha, Tsongkhapa and his followers.

Reaching There

Monastero Spituk is situated nearly 8 kms away from the Leh town. Taxis, buses and jeeps are easily available to reach this location all round the year.