Shey Monastery

A complex that comprises a monastery and a palace, Shey was once the summer capital of Ladakh. The monastery is known for its giant copper with a gilded gold statue of Shakyamuni Buddha, which is said to be the second-largest statue in Ladakh and a must-see.

The current Shey Palace and Gompa were built on the instructions of Deldan Namgyal, in the memory of his late father, Sengge Namgyal. Shey is also known for its two annual festivals known as Shey Doo Lhoo (sowing season) and Shey Rupla (harvesting season). Both the festivals are the major attractions in Shey Monastery.

History

The monastery was built in 1655 as per the instructions given by Deldon Namgyal in the memory of Singay Namgyal, his father, within the palace complex. Now, mainly the ruins of the palace and the monastery are found here but it acts as the major symbol of tourism of Ladakh.

Structure

At an average elevation of 3415 meters is the monastery is located. The statue of Shakyamuni Buddha is 12 meters long covering the three floors of the monastery. The walls on the sides of Buddha display the Arhats, 16 in total. Arhats are the saints who reached the status of Nirvana. The upper floor is magnified by the beautiful wall paintings and the lower floor gives space for a library where the preserved manuscripts can be read.