Kardang Monastery

Monastery

The Kardang Monastery or Gompa is a famous Drukpa Lineage Monastery and is the most important monastery in the Lahaul valley, India. The associated village of Kardang was once the capital of Lahaul. The monastery is believed to be built in the 12^th century and houses a large library of Buddhist literature including the Kangyur and Tangypur’s scripture in the Bhotia or Serpa language.

The monastery is a huge white building embedded with prayer flags. The monastery has a good collection of fine thankas, musical instruments such as lutes, drums, horns as well as antique weapons. There are also colorful frescoes and murals engraved in the monastery. A large golden Buddha statue is preserved here, beside another stupa or silver Chatiya is preserved in the dedicated to Lama Norbhu the founder. The monastery was in ruins until it was renovated in 1912 CE by Lama Norbhu Rinpoche who with Lama Kunga turned it into a proper educational and training establishment.

The monastery is among the most visited Buddhist sites in the state. There are around 30 monks and Buddhist nuns who lives in the monastery. They enjoy an equal rights balancing their worldly and religious life staying with their family in the summer and have the permission to marry. They return to the monastery for their training in the winter where meditation becomes their prime focus.