Where the gods live

India | Anno 1995

 

Sunday 23 July | Key – Kibber

Monday 24 July | Tabo – Dhankar

 

 

Sunday 23 July | Key – Kibber

"At last, they entered a world within a world", describes Rudyard Kipling the moment when young Kim enters the Spiti Valley in the novella of the same name. He calls it a miraculous world, where the dimensions are so vast that even from the debris of the mountains, high hills emerge. "Surely the Gods live here", he concludes.

"At last, they entered a world within a world. Surely the Gods live here ", describes Rudyard Kipling the Spiti Valley

Kaza in the Spiti Valley

The inhabitants of Kaza certainly do not seem to contradict the latter. Life can hardly be more peaceful than in this green oasis. To our surprise, we overlook a fertile settlement with many trees and fertile farmland. And all of this amidst a mountain desert at an altitude of 3,650 meters. Irrigation plays a role in this, but so does rainfall. Because on this side of the Kunzum La, rain clouds do penetrate the valley.

 

Kaza

You can indeed call this mountain village the beating heart of the Spiti Valley. It has two thousand inhabitants, and another twelve thousand live scattered throughout the valley. This is not much for a valley that is about 140 km long. The houses are mostly whitewashed, with flat roofs or thatched roofs. There seem to be no shops, only a stall with clothes and textiles or a stand where vegetables, fruits, and eggs are for sale. A farmer herds her goats through the dusty streets.

 

 

It is sunny, and people walk the streets here and there. They greet us kindly and openly but also with a touch of curiosity. We are quickly fascinated by the beautiful traditional jewelry that the women wear, even on ordinary weekdays. Often, they wear nose and ear jewelry in silver or gold. However, it is mainly the mutigkanti that leave an impression – the luxurious necklaces of white beads and stones made of precious materials such as coral and turquoise.

Especially the mutigkanti make an impression, the lavish necklaces of white beads and stones made of precious materials such as coral and turquoise.

Mutigkanti (necklace with precious stones)

Such valuable pieces are passed down from the mother to the eldest daughter, just like all other possessions of the father go to the eldest son. The other children receive nothing. It's a strict rule, but the only way to prevent the family property from being so fragmented that no one benefits from it anymore.

 

 

Population pressure has always been a delicate concern in this region. Supporting a large population is simply not feasible in this arid desert area. Polyandry was once part of the solution, where one woman married several men, usually brothers. However, under the influence of the British colonizer, this practice has almost completely disappeared today.

 

Spiti Valley

The rich monastic tradition in these valleys is also closely linked to the necessity of keeping population growth in check. This becomes apparent as we approach the Key Monastery. Over two hundred monks have retreated to this hill, situated at an elevation of 3,900 meters. It is the largest gompa in the valley and a significant training centre for lamas.

The pointed hill with the white monastery buildings seems to want to rival Mont Saint-Michel

Key Monastery

Very young monks

It stands out from a distance, the pointed hill where the white monastery buildings cling to, as if they want to rival Mont Saint-Michel. In this magnificent setting, they succeed brilliantly, surpassing their French counterpart. A zigzag road takes us to the top. The view is unparalleled, with the sun doing its best. Below, the Spiti River flows through the valley like a trivial stream. Only its excessively wide bed hints at the enormous water masses that pass through here during the spring thaw.

 

Key Monastery

The exact founding date of this gompa is not precisely known, but it is believed to have happened somewhere in the 11th century under the leadership of a certain Dromtön, a disciple of Atisha. This is not a coincidence. Atisha is one of the most important figures in Tibetan Buddhism. In the 11th century, he laid the foundation for the reintroduction of Buddhism in Tibet. Indeed, the reintroduction.

Buddhism may seem like a natural part of Tibet now, but it hasn't always been that way. A thousand years after the Buddha's teachings, Tibet was still a pagan island in a sea of Buddhism. It wasn't until the 8th century that things changed, thanks to Padmasambhava, the Saint Patrick of Tibet. However, it didn't take long before Tibet fell into chaos, and Buddhism almost disappeared from the region.

The rich monastic tradition in these valleys is closely linked to the necessity of controlling population growth

Chanting in the dukhang or prayer hall

So, Atisha comes into the scene. He managed to give Buddhism in Tibet a new boost, and this time it was a lasting success. It was Dromtön who further shaped the spiritual legacy of his teacher Atisha, leading to the foundation of the Kadam, one of the oldest monastic orders in Buddhism.

Are the monks of Key then Kadampa, followers of Kadam? No, it's not that simple. In the 17th century, the Mongols suddenly appeared at the gate. As usual, they brought their weapons and tolerated no opposition – the monastery had to switch to the Gelug, the school led by the Dalai Lama.

Mongols interfering with the serfdom of a Buddhist monastery might seem strange to us. But then we forget that Tibet, like Europe, has experienced bloody religious wars. It was the Mongols who helped put the Dalai Lama on the throne. Mongols and Tibetans were then allies in the fight against their common enemy, the Chinese emperor. Even the title Dalai Lama reminds us of that episode – dalai is Mongolian for ocean, lama is Tibetan for teacher.

With a bit of goodwill, you can call the Gelugpa the Protestants of Buddhism, or the Reformers

With a bit of goodwill, you can call the Gelugpa the Protestants of Buddhism. They were the reformers, those who had enough of monks increasingly disregarding the rules of poverty, abstinence, and celibacy. But the comparison is imperfect. The reform went much further than just a return to monastic discipline. Over the centuries, there had been a proliferation of religious texts with no clear line. It was Tsongkhapa – the Martin Luther of Tibetan Buddhism – who masterfully synthesized the historical texts and the original teachings.

Tsongkhapa was not a real reformer, more of a monastery scholar. It was his students who propagated the new doctrine, built monasteries, founded the Gelug order, and... started wearing yellow caps. This distinguished them from other monastic orders with their red caps. The doctrine became dominant from the 17th century, thanks to the Mongols.

And so, here we are, in the midst of the Yellow Hats. Although we don't get to see those yellow hats, as they only wear them on festive occasions. We only see burgundy robes.

 

 

From the dukhang, the chanting of the monks reaches us. It's a familiar sound in these monasteries, the resonant throat singing of male voices. Rhythmically, they recite the sacred mantras over and over again. Here, this is accompanied by the use of musical instruments. We see cymbals, drums, horns, and bells, as well as the famous dungchens, the 3.5-meter-long wind instruments that can be best compared to alpenhorns. These chants seem to be the prelude to a ritual where a monk, adorned with a peculiar headdress, plays a central role.

 

On the way to Kibber

Ascending higher, we climb above the Spiti. Many hairpin bends later, we arrive in Kibber, a remote village perched on a protruding limestone rock. Several hundred residents call this eagle's nest at 4,220 meters above sea level their home.

Kibber is claimed to be the highest inhabited village in the world reachable by a regular road.

 

On foot, we set out to explore. Kibber is claimed to be the highest inhabited village in the world reachable by a regular road – a bold claim that is difficult to verify.

 

 

But the unique location compensates for any scepticism. What also makes the place unique is the houses. They are constructed in natural stone, not in mud brick as in the valley below.

 

Kibber – Stupa and gompa

Kibber – Gompa

A short climb brings us to the gompa, but we're out of luck. The monastery is closed, and the monk who guards the key – oh, irony – attends the ritual in Key. Nevertheless, our climb doesn't end in disappointment. The phenomenal scenery takes care of that, with the barren, eroded mountain masses, deep ravines, the magnificent Spiti Valley, and in the background, some snow-capped peaks. We gaze in amazement at the numerous terraces arranged like green tiles around the village. Apparently, agriculture thrives even at this altitude. Dark rain clouds gather above the mountains, but raindrops are scarce.

We look down in amazement at the many terraces that are laid out like green tiles around the village

Terraces around Kibber

Chicham (in the distance)

In the distance, the white houses of Chicham huddle against a mountainside, also surrounded by green terraces. As the crow flies, the village is barely three kilometres away from here. However, the gorge unfolding before us leaves no room for misunderstanding. If you want to reach Chicham, you have to take a considerable detour⁵⁾.

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Monday 24 July | Tabo – Dhankar

Next year in August, around twenty thousand Buddhists from far and wide will descend upon the Spiti Valley. This pilgrimage is to commemorate the thousandth anniversary of the founding of the Tabo Monastery. Even the Dalai Lama himself will attend the festivities. He will lead a Kalacakra ceremony, the most significant ceremony of the Gelug tradition. Reportedly, he has also expressed that this is the monastery where he wishes to retire at the end of his life.

 

Spiti Valley

All of this only reaffirms what we already knew – the monastery we are heading towards, about fifty kilometres downstream from Kaza, is the pride of this valley. It is one of the holiest monasteries in Tibetan Buddhism and also one of the oldest. Throughout its history, it has been continuously in use, enduring earthquakes and foreign invaders.

Next year will mark exactly a thousand years since the founding of the Tabo Monastery

The timing of its foundation in 996 was perfect. From the beginning, the Tabo Monastery played a crucial role in the Buddhist revival in Tibet. This significance was evident in 1076 when an influential council took place in the monastery, marking the definitive start of the second wave of Buddhism in Tibet.

 

Erosion in the Spiti Valley

One of the driving forces behind all of this was Rinchen Zangpo. Translating Buddhist texts from Sanskrit to Tibetan was his specialty – he was known as the Great Translator. His work paved the way for the spread of Buddhism in Ladakh and Tibet. Without access to the sacred texts, the pure form of the message couldn't be conveyed.

However, we must not be naive. A religious revival was not the only goal of King Yeshe-Ö

Building monasteries was also in his purview. The Tabo Monastery is just one of the many structures influenced by Rinchen Zangpo. Under his guidance, it became a significant centre for religious studies and, of course, translation work, which remained his favourite pursuit. Indian and Tibetan scholars collaborated on the daunting task of deciphering these complex texts.

 

Spiti Valley

But we must not be naive. A religious revival was not the only goal King Yeshe-Ö had in mind when he sponsored the construction of these Buddhist monasteries. Establishing a dense network of trade routes in the Himalayas was his primary motivation. That's why all these monasteries appeared in strategic locations in the valleys. Eventually, this commercial network would stretch over a distance of more than twelve hundred kilometres – from Mustang in present-day Nepal to Leh in Ladakh. However, this does not diminish the net result. The opportunistic blend of political, religious, and economic considerations in the 11th century led to an unparalleled flourishing of artistic, literary, and philosophical achievements in these remote valleys.

 

Spiti Valley

And that is precisely why we are here. Because Tabo is still a living monastery. About sixty monks have made it their home. Like those of Key, they transitioned from the Kadam to the Gelug in the 18th century.

Meanwhile, the valley at the height of Shichling is getting narrower. On the right, the Spiti rushes through its narrow bed with a lot of noise. On the left, towering debris cones reach dangerously close to the road. It wouldn't take much to set such a mass of stones in motion.

A herd of pashmina goats frantically runs up the slope as our jeeps approach.

Pashmina goats

A herd of pashmina goats frantically runs up the slope as our jeeps approach. With their winter coat, they can easily withstand temperatures up to – 40°C (– 40°F). But now, there is nothing left of that thick fur. Like every year, it has come loose during spring. At that moment, the shepherds are quick to comb and collect the soft down of the undercoat. Pashmina goats are not sheared but combed.

The ultra-fine fibres produced from this process are used to weave the famous scarves – warm, incredibly soft, and quite expensive. For top quality, you opt for a pashmina scarf. Only the finest fluff qualifies for it. Slightly lower in quality but still very beautiful are the cashmere scarves.

Towering debris cones reach dangerously close to the road. It wouldn't take much to set such a mass of stones in motion

 

The gentle rain reminds us that nature still has the final say in this region. Even here, at the bottom of the valley, there are landslides. Just yesterday, this road was closed, and two years ago, according to Anup, there wasn't even a road at all.

It's a strange sight when we meet these road workers because they are exclusively women handling shovels or pickaxes

 

That we will eventually reach our destination is thanks to diligent road workers. They are scattered around, working hard to repair the road. It's a strange sight when we meet these road workers because they are exclusively women handling shovels or pickaxes. One of them even has a child with her. Men are nowhere to be seen.

 

Spiti Valley

Then, Tabo emerges in the distance. The initial sight immediately dampens our enthusiasm – understandable when expectations are set so high. While the Key Monastery managed to impress us from a distance, we now gaze at some mud-brick buildings, with the architectural allure of a simple box, almost hidden among the village houses. We console ourselves by thinking that true beauty lies within.

We console ourselves by thinking that true beauty lies within

Tabo Monastery

Our preconceptions quickly melt away like snow in the sun. Those seven temples are not just there for no reason. Along with twenty-three stupas, they form a geometric pattern facing east, a mandala representing the cosmos. Inside the walled complex, there's also an impressive mani. Over time, pilgrims have placed votive stones of various sizes, forming a broad wall about one and a half meters high and about ten meters long. Each of these stones bears an inscription, often the legendary mantra Om mani padme hum, invoking Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva believed to be reincarnated in the Dalai Lama.

Each of these stones bears an inscription, often the legendary mantra ‘Om mani padme hum’, invoking Avalokiteshvara

Mani

Votive stones with inscriptions

We can just make out the renowned caves on the mountainside across the valley from here. There's much uncertainty about when and why they came into use. What is certain is that they are centuries-old, and the monks themselves excavated them – no difficult task in the fragile conglomerate rock. Monks could have peacefully meditated in these caves, and during extremely cold winters, they might have even used them as living spaces since they were warmer than the monastery. This could explain why the wide cave chambers usually have a narrow entrance.

Forget the mudflows; this is exactly what we went through all the trouble for

 

Curiously, we shuffle into the tsuglagkhang, the main temple. And it's an immediate wow. The entrance hall astonishes us with its stunning frescoes. They are nearly a thousand years old, never restored but still in excellent condition. With their vibrant colour palette, they cover the entire side wall – the red of the robes, the ochre of the halos, the pale white of the faces, the deep blue of the backgrounds. Forget the mudflows; this is exactly what we went through all the trouble for.

 

Tabo Monastery – Entrance Hall

Further inside, a fierce Kali gazes down at us from the semi-darkness, her image covered with scarves. This surprises us a bit because Kali is a typical Hindu goddess; she has no place among Buddhists. It emphasizes how intertwined these two religions remain.

 

Tabo Monastery – Entrance Hall

Thus, we find ourselves in the dukhang, the large assembly hall. Two dharmapalas guard the entrance. With their horrifying facial expressions alone, they manage to keep evil spirits at bay. But we are not deterred and enter the silent prayer space.

They sit just above eye level, slightly inclined on a protrusion, as if they want to warmly greet the pilgrim

 

There are no windows in the walls; natural light only enters through the ceiling. Millions of dust particles dance their eternal dance in beams of white light. These spotlight the main altar, while the side walls remain orphaned in semi-darkness. It's a shame because there is much to see right there. Particularly striking is the impressive row of clay sculptures – a total of 32. They sit just above eye level, slightly inclined on a protrusion shaped like a lotus flower, as if they want to warmly greet the pilgrim. Higher against the wall, colourful frescoes are difficult to perceive in these light conditions, but they are still poignant.

On a table lie several ritual objects, including the ghanta or ritual bell. The hollow of its bell shape represents emptiness, and the sound it produces refers to the voice of the Buddha filling this emptiness. Next to it, we recognize the vajra, the ritual thunderbolt that destroys all ignorance but is itself as hard as diamond and therefore cannot be destroyed. They go together, the ghanta and the vajra, symbolizing masculinity and femininity. Then there is a damaru, a small, hourglass-shaped drum. With it, the supreme god Shiva produces the spiritual sounds from which the entire world originated and which he still uses to regulate this world.

 

Dukhang or Prayer Hall

Through a niche, we caught a glimpse of him, but only at the back of the main altar can we fully admire him – Vairocana, the superstar of this temple complex, the focal point of all worship. He is also called the middle one of the Five Celestial Buddhas. In reality, he is the most significant of the five, being the first Buddha to achieve Enlightenment – the Adi-Buddha. He embodies the qualities of the other four, so we see not just one figure but four. They are life-sized, sitting back to back and facing different directions.

 

Dukhang with the sacred books, the Kangyur and the Tengyur

One of them is Amitabha. We encounter him again in the tsakhang, a small annex at the eastern end of the tsuglagkang. There, he sits centrally on his throne, accompanied by two bodhisattvas. Countless pilgrims, perhaps hundreds of thousands over the centuries, must have shuffled through the narrow passage around this sanctuary, holding prayer beads or a prayer wheel, chanting mantras in the hope of some blessing or intercession.

 

Vajra (ritual thunderbolt), ghanta (ritual bell), and damaru (hourglass-shaped drum)

In contrast, we are completely captivated by the frescoes on the walls. They call this art form a Thousand Buddhas. Whether there are exactly a thousand doesn't matter. The walls are literally covered from top to bottom. Each one is an artistic gem. The face of the Buddha is consistently depicted, of course. Still, his robe, the lotus throne on which he sits, and the radiant halo surrounding him are rendered in a dizzying variety of shapes and colours. The fact that these frescoes, so exposed to the public, are still in fairly good condition is nothing short of a miracle.

 

 

On the way to Dhankar

Now, we have one more monastery to explore before leaving the Spiti Valley – Dhankar, at an altitude of 3,890 meters. In five dust clouds, we hurry along the unpaved road up the barren slope, traversing fourteen sharp switchbacks until we come face to face with our destination. The sight is breathtaking. The contrast with Tabo couldn't be greater. Fort on a cliff is the literal translation of dhang khar, and that's by no means an exaggeration. The white buildings cling to the steep cliffs as if they are little clouds nestling against high rock walls. The monks of Dhankar seem to defy gravity, that much is certain.

 

Dhankar, situated at the confluence of the Pin and the Spiti

As if that isn't enough, an overwhelming backdrop unfolds around us. Below, the Pin River flows undisturbed into the Spiti. Sunlight gently sparkles in the intricate pattern of narrow streams that meander through the far too wide riverbed. Barren, treeless mountains tower high above the valley, having shaken off the clouds. In the distance, deep blue silhouettes stand sharply against the horizon, and many of their peaks exceed five thousand meters in height.

The white buildings cling to the steep cliffs as if they are little clouds nestling against high rock walls

Dhankar – Monastery and village

The inhospitable lunar landscape starkly contrasts with the abundance of fertile, green terraces in the foreground. This is where the monks derive their sustenance. Rudyard Kipling might have been right when he wrote that this must be where the gods reside.

The monks of Dhankar seem to defy gravity, that much is certain

Dhankar – Monastery

But we're not there yet; the monastery lies impossibly high for our jeeps. So, we cover the final stretch on foot. It's a short, brisk climb along the cliffs, but the thin air at an altitude of almost four thousand meters hardly bothers us. Apparently, our gradual acclimatization is paying off.

Here, about seventy monks lead a life of meditation and asceticism. One of them takes us under his wing and guides us through the main chambers. Contrary to Tabo, he claims Dhankar is the oldest monastery in the valley, a bold statement that finds little agreement outside Dhankar. The claim that the monastery dates back to the 12th century- two hundred years younger than Tabo – is considered more plausible.

The monks don't have concrete evidence to support their audacious assertion. They attribute this to the numerous plunderings the monastery endured over the years. Even the sacred texts are missing. They were sent for restoration forty years ago but never returned. Nobody knows their current whereabouts.

Here, about seventy monks lead a life of meditation and asceticism

We won't dispute the monastery's antiquity. That became apparent at the entrance below. A sign reads: no more than twenty visitors at a time. It's a measure to avoid overloading the delicate structures. Climbing to the rooftop platform to enjoy the formidable view is allowed with no more than three people at a time.

In short, the decay seems unstoppable. It's a world of difference from Tabo, where funds appear to flow for maintenance and restoration. It's also a vast difference from the 17th century when Dhankar was the seat of the local royal family. From here, the Nonos ruled as feudal lords over the entire Spiti Valley. They controlled the agricultural lands and judged their subjects. The latter they did with such excessive severity that the British put an end to it as soon as they got wind of it.

 

 

However, Dhankar Monastery has more than enough to captivate the interested visitor. There are the frescoes dating back to the 10th century, according to the monks – other sources attribute them to the 14th or 15th century. There are the gracefully crafted doors, the ritual objects, and the musical instruments.

But it's the exquisite thangkas that charm us the most. Fragile as they may be, they seem to have weathered the ravages of time better than the monastery as a whole. Also known as scroll paintings, they are painted on cotton or silk without a frame, allowing them to be rolled up.

Fragile as they may be, the thangkas seem to have weathered the ravages of time better than the monastery as a whole

Dhankar – Village

Thangka

They used colour pigments as paint, with yak butter serving as the binder. After drying, this mixture not only becomes waterproof but, more importantly, elastic – an essential quality for a painting meant to be rolled up. The cracking often seen in our medieval paintings is unknown here.

For traveling monks, such scroll paintings were useful as educational tools. They could carry them anywhere to explain the teachings of Buddhism through symbolic representations.

 

Spiti Valley

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Above five thousand meters

⁵⁾ In 2017, a bridge was constructed over this gorge, which is more than three hundred meters deep.