Stakna Monastery
Leh is to be found on the right bank of the Indus River, in Ladakh.Stakna gompa Ladakh is at a distance of 25 km from Leh town. Stakna exactly means 'tiger's nose'.Stakna Gompa
was callen by tiger's nose name because it looks like a tiger's nose. This monastery is a visual display of the religious and cultural heritage of India and Buddhism.Stakna Gompa ladakh has several sister monasteries which contains three in the Zanskar valley which are Mud and Kharu and those of Stakrimo, Bardan and Sani in Zanskar. Stakna Monastery of Leh Ladakh has been provided its beginning to Chosje Jamyang Palkar,who was a great scholar saint of Bhutan. It formed a part of the many religious estates offered by the Dharmaraja Jamyang Namgial to the saint, around 1580 AD. Stakna Monastery Leh is small and there are only 35 lamas of the red hat sect. There are various other lamas who are residing in its branch monastery namely Sani, Bardan and Stakrimo in Zanskar. In 1982 it was again painted quiet recently. Stakna Gompa Ladakh is also known as the most colourful gompa in the Ladakh region.
Just entering inside the courtyard there is small stuffed Lhasa Apso.It was one of the favourite choice of the ancient lama of the Stakna monastery Leh. When we enter along the center of the courtyard,there is a big assembly hall known as Dukhang.
In Assembly hall,just on to the right above the courtyard, a seven feet tall silver gilded chorten which was made by head lama.The chorten having figure of the Lord Buddha with various texts. On the left side of Dukahang comprises of 3 paintings namely: Amchi ,Tsephakmad , Sakyamni. Apart from this,the wall which is facing the entrance of the Du-khang contains three new paintings which are Tshong-san-gompo, Padma Sambhava , Bodhisattva.There were also three statues of past,present and future Buddhas having Buddhist canonical volumes on both sides can be seen.There is a large figure of Dorje Phakma on the room just behind the Dukhang in a wooden cupboard.Also there are eight position of Buddha and a small statue of Avalokitesvara. One of the essential parts Stakna Gompa ladakh is that the room of head lama, just lies above the Du-Khang and it has been recently inflated in Tibetan style. The library of Stakna monastery is nearby another striking room in the monastery having colourful paintings and gilded statue of the previous Rimpoche of Stakna.
The visitors can have beautiful views of the Indus valley and Indus river from the roof of the Stakna Monastery Ladakh. It also have snow capped peaks and ridges of Zanskar range in the south and uncovered slopes of Ladakh range in the north.Other essential attractions nearby Stakna Gompa is Takthok monastery which is just 50 km from Leh. Takthok monastery having caves where Guru Padmashmbhava At a distance of 50 km from Leh, Takthok monastery houses a cave where Guru Padmashambhava meditated in the earlier age. The significane of this monastery is that it belongs to the Nying-ma-pa sect of Buddhism. In Takthok monastery, annual festival is celebrated during the month of August.