Dhanker Monastery
Let’s Save Dhanker, together.
There lies a haven of solace, holiness, heritage and quaint in the Himalayas called Spiti Valley. Within which nests the sacred Dhankar Monastery. This project is a challenge to revive and reclaim the beautiful Gompa, under the guidance of some eminent Buddhist leaders, the locals and Tibetan officials. We are enroute preserving this heritage site for generations.
Dhankar Monastery is an ancient Buddhist temple situated in the trans-Himalayan desert in Spiti, Himachal Pradesh. This Monastery is situated on a cliff between Kaza and Tabo and was part of the traditional capital of the Spiti Valley Kingdom.
The monastery was built as a fort monastery over 1000 years ago, amidst cold winds and temperatures plummeting to minus 50 degrees by painters, sculptors, artisans and artists of this region who are reported to have worked passionately under the guidance of the great Lotsawa Rinchen Zangpo (958-1055A.D.). They toiled day and night, adding a celestial dimension to the monastery which can be felt even today. The monastery is built on a 1000-foot (300-meter) high spur overlooking the confluence of the Spiti and Pin Rivers. It is indeed one of the world's most spectacular settings for a gompa.
In 2006, the World Monuments Fund selected Dhankar gompa as one of the 100 most endangered sites in the world.
Some efforts in the past have been made to conserve it but more needs to be done.
We visited this magical monastery in 2016 and it awakened our mind to a different reality for which we will always remain grateful. Ever since we have been walking the path of our dreams. We believe that it is monuments such as these that represent the limitlessness of the human mind, heart, and soul. The monuments have been designed by our ancestors, who lived with far more wisdom than us, to serve as experiences that have the innate ability to invoke the best within a person who visits them with an open mind and heart.
The Dhankhar Monastery is an experience that must be preserved for the generations to come as it is an ancient aide that has the ability to help take the human consciousness to unchartered territories in pursuits of the mind and material.
As we take you through a voyage of the mesmerizing Dhankar village in Spiti valley, let’s update you on the recent developments of this exciting project.
Make a change.
First Milestone:
In June 2019, we started the groundwork with the help of the Ecosphere, an NGO that has been working in the Spiti region for a long time. It is also known to have done substantial work towards conserving Dhankhar Monastery in the past. We have collaborated with Ecosphere, the local community and global organizations in making this dream to conserve Dhangkhar Monastary
Second Milestone :
We are elated to share that we got formally acquainted with 'Lochen Rinpoche' - the 19th reincarnation of ‘Lochen Rinchen Zangpo, the spiritual director of Key Monastry, Dhankar.
His Eminence T.K Lochen Ringpoche, who we met is honoured as a scholar, a master of Buddhist Philosophy, especially in Tantrayana Buddhism. He has been mentored in both the Sutras and Tantras by none other than His Holiness the Dalai Lama. He is the guiding light for many monasteries in the Indian Himalayan belt and is showing the path to enlightenment to his millions of disciples. His alma mater is Tashi Lhungpo Monastic University, Tibet.
We are fortunate to have received his blessings, guidance and mentorship for this project.
Very soon, we will be sitting across several senior Buddhist leaders :
Abbot of Gyutot Tantrik College, Dharamshala
Mgari Geshe Thupten Tendhar in Mundgod, Hubli.
They are in-charge of the Dhankar monastery. We will be asking their permission to commence work on the Dhankar monastery reclamation project in November. We are grateful to be conducting all the activities under the supervision and recommendation of Lochen Rinpoche.
Third Milestone:
We are very grateful to have trysted with 'Nonu Ji' who is also known as the king of Dhankar. We met him at the Deyzor Guest House and he informed us on several attempts of preserving Dhankhar. He also stated the reasons for their failure ie. the local deity objecting their pursuits.
One such previous attempt was made by a Swiss Billionaire and another by a Bombay based art collector. The spirit and fascination that is associated with the challenge of preserving the Dhankar monastery become all the more when you learn and deeply explore the spiritual aspects of Buddhist philosophy.
The question that pops up is, will we be allowed to pursue this project? Will we be granted the permission by the local deity and the habitants?
We are very excited and energized to pursue the journey of this challenge to restore this sacred settlement, region and place of worship. Are you?
We would love for you to be a part of this spectacular odyssey, do your bit and stay in sync with all the advancements in this project by subscribing to our service.