LAMA AGU TUNGPA PHUG, Shergol

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

The Tibetan Buddhist monastery Ganden Dra Phug (Ganden Dra Phuk) above Shergol is centered upon an unspecified sacred cave, in which Lama Agu Tungpa is said to have meditated (HIRSCHBERG 1977, 1980, 1987: 91). IDENTITY: Compare –>Padmasambhava Phug (Urgyan Dzong) and the –>Urgyan Dzong Caves. SITUATION: The Gelugpa monastery, a branch of Likir Gompa, is situated at Shergol, which lies 7 km (LONELY PLANET, India 1997: 352, 1999: 378; LONELY PLANET, North India 2001: 395) along the road from Mulbekh (N34°23': E076°22') to Kargil (N34°34': E076°06') in the Wakha Valley. CAVE DESCRIPTION 1860: Captain William Henry Knight had started early again, and marched five kos, through the little half-deserted settlement of Lotzum to the village of Shergol, where we halted for breakfast. … In the perpendicular face of a rock beyond was a very curious monastery, or abode of the Lamas. It was built completely IN the rock, and was reached by a natural cavity on the face of the stone. Jutting ot from the upper part, balconies had been erected overhanging the precipice, and these were decorated with red copings, spotted with white. From the fact of only one of our party knowing the language, it was difficult to ascertain from the natives the history of this curious abode, but they gave us to understand that it was the home of their Lamas, or spiritual preceptors (KNIGHT, W H 1863 entry 1860 August 6). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1997: Shergol, meaning Lord of the Morning Star … has a tiny cave gompa perched halfway up a steep, eastern slope of the mountain. It is almost deserted, and is really for those who can't get enough of gompas and stiff walks up mountains. The view, of course, is magnificent. Below the gompa is a nunnery (LONELY PLANET, India 1997: 352; LONELY PLANET, North India 2001: 395).