TAKTOK (Caves at)

Location

An unspecified number of modified natural troglodyte caves or rock shelters (cave dwelling?) used for Buddhist monastic purposes (note 1) reports HIRSCHBERG (1987: 186) from »Trakh-thok« (note 2), a Tibetan Buddhist monastery of the Nyingmapa order, which built around a sacred cave (note 3) dedicated to Padmasambhava, who is believed to have meditated here (HIRSCHBERG 1987). SITUATION: The monastery is »a little bit difficult to get at« as it lies »not on the usual gompa trail« (LONELY PLANET, India 2003: 308) and half an hour on foot above the village of Sakti, which itself lies approximately 10 km along the route from Karu (note 4) north-east past »Chemrey« or Chimre (note 5) and across the pass Chang La (note 6) to Shyok (N34°11': E78°08'). SITUATION 1990: »If instead of turning right at Karu to climb up to Hemis you had turned left, you would have reached the Chemre Gompa, five km off the road, and the Trak Tok Gompa, 10 km further on« (LONELY PLANET, India 1990: 253). Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 28/02/2016

NOTE 1: Manfred Moser forwarded the reference to HIRSCHBERG (1987). NOTE 2: The monastery's name, composed from the Tibetan "brag" (pronounced 'dak' or 'tak') or »rock, [rocky] mountain« with "thok" or »ceiling« and has been transcribed, spelled, edited or printed as Taktak DUCLUZAUX, B (1993d: 52) Trak-thok HIRSCHBERG, H (1987: 186) Takthog LONELY PLANET, India (2009: 328). Taktok LONELY PLANET, India (2003: 308; 2005: 327); LONELY PLANET, North India (2001: 384) Thak Thok shambhalamountain.org/ladakindiatrip.html (accessed 20.06.2005) Trakthok Nebel, K (2000 myhimalayas.com/ladakh_indus_valley/1.htm accessed 16.04.2005) Trekthok Nebel, K (2000 on) myhimalayas.com/ladakh_indus_valley/1.htm (accessed 16.04.2005). »Taktok is a little difficult to get to and not on the usual 'gompa trail' « (LONELY PLANET, India 2003: 308; 2005: 327; LONELY PLANET, North India 2001: 384). NOTE 3: »With at least five different spellings, Taktok is the only gompa in the upper Indus Valley belonging to the Nyingmapa order«(LONELY PLANET, India 2003: 308; 2005: 327). »Time permitting we will take a short hike to the rarely visited and only remaining Nyingma monastery in Ladakh, the small gompa at Thak Thok. The main shrine is made up of a cave in with [sic!] Padmasambhava is said to have meditated during his journey to Tibet in the 8th century. The ceilings black from years and years of burning butter lamps and incense, this dark and mysterious cave is the perfect place for a meditation sitting« (shambhalamountain.org accessed 2005.06.20). NOTE 4: Karu N33°55': E077°45' (nima.mil/geonames accessed 16.11.2003). NOTE 5: »Chemrey« (HIRSCHBERG 1987: 186; LONELY PLANET, North India 2001: 384) is indicated as »Chimre« near N33°58': E077°48' (nima.mil/geonames accessed 16.11.2003) on AMS sheet Martselang (U502 series, 1963 edition). NOTE 6: Chang La N34°03': E077°56' (nima.mil/geonames accessed 16.11.2003): 5289 m (LONELY PLANET, India 2003: 291) or 5358 m (India Road Atlas, Eicher Goodearth 2006: 3 F3). Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 28/02/2016