KOTSANG PHUG, Hemis
33.900000,77.716700
Description
The prayer room of the Kotsang Gompa, a Tibetan Buddhist hermitage monastery, is centered on a meditation cave of dubious nature (note 1). ETYMOLOGY: Hemis Gompa (note 2) or »Himis in Ladak« (WADDELL, L A 1895: 257) is called »The support of the meaning of Buddha's precepts« (WADDELL, L A 1895: 257 after »SCHLAG., 179« in the sense of SCHLAGINTWEIT, E 1868: 179). SITUATION: At a walking distance of 50 minutes uphill (HIRSCHBERG, H 1987: 178-179) or»one-hour walk along a trail behind the gompa« (LONELY PLANET, India 1997: 337), which is the Hemis Gompa, the Tibetan Buddhist monastery (note 3) situated about 45 km (LONELY PLANET, India 2005: 328) along the road (daily bus service) south of Leh (note 4) in a short tributary valley (note 5) from the south-west to the right bank of Sindh (Indus River) and a few kilometres above Martselang, an important halting place on the ancient trans-Himalayan caravan route connecting central Asia via Leh in the far West via Rutok to Gartok in far eastern Tibet. CAVE POTENTIAL: »Hemis is worth an overnight stay to explore the Kotsang Hermitage Gompa … There are also some caves nearby« (LONELY PLANET, India 1997: 337). CULTURAL HISTORY - human use: »Bis heute hat hier die Tradition der meditierenden Yogis überlebt, nachdem, lange vor dem Bau des Klosters Hemis [established 1638], der tibetische Mönch Götsangpa etliche Jahre in der Höhle verbrachte, um die später ein Gebetsraum entstand« (HIRSCHBERG 1977, 1980, 1987: 179). »Au Ladack [sic!], les cavités sont essentiellement religieuses : grottes de méditation dans des monastères : Taktak, Saspol, Lamayuru, Hemis … (régions non calcaires)« (DUCLUZAUX 1993d: 52).
NOTE 1: »… grotticelle di dubbia consistenza a Hemis, peraltro utilizzate dai monaci in eremitagio« (ANGELETTI RIGON et al. 1987). NOTE 2: Hemis (ANGELETTI RIGON et al. 1987; HIRSCHBERG, H 1977, 1980, 1987: 174-183; LONELY PLANET, India 1997: 337; 2003: 309; 2005: 328) or Himis (WADDELL 1899 edited 1905, 1934, 1991: 257) is indicated as »Himis Gompa« near 33°54'N: 77°43'E on AMS sheet NI43-12 Martselang (U502 series). NOTE 3: »Himis monastery in Ladakh is called "The support of the meaning of Buddha's precepts"« (WADDELL 1899 edited 1991: 257) and also known as Byan Chub Sam-Ling HIRSCHBERG, H (1977, 1980, 1987: 174) and Chang-Chub Samling LONELY PLANET, India (2003: 309) or Chanh-Chub-Sam-Ling LONELY PLANET, India (1997: 337; 2005: 328) or the Lone Place of the Compassionate Person. NOTE 4: Leh 34°10'N: 77°35'E on AMS sheet NI43-08 and in the India Road Atlas (Eicher Goodearth 2006: 3 E3). NOTE 5: Captain William Henry KNIGHT (1863 Diary: 1860 August 17) and his anonymous mate »F« (no name mentioned) »started early for Hemis. From the formation of the mountains in which it is situated, the entrance to the village opens upon the traveller suddenly and as if by magic; and as we tramped this morning along the parched and sandy desert, welcome indeed was the unexpected vision of trees and rushing water which the sharp turn presented to our astonished gaze.The entrance to the gorge in which the monastery is situated was, as usual, quite covered with Mani panees and walls of inscribed stones; one of the former was studded with human skulls, and otherwise ornamented, in a way that proved the vicinity of some stronghold of Lama talent, though not perhaps of the very highest order.The monastery we found situated in a beautifully-wooded valley, thickly planted, and having a dashing little torrent foaming through the centre. It was built as usual, on the very face of the rock, and towering above it was an airy fort, ensconced among a number of crows'-nest habitations, perched about apparently with more regard to effect than comfort.«
Cavités proche
| Distance (km) | Nom | Longueur (m) | Profondeur (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14.2 | TAKTOK (Caves at) | ||
| 14.2 | PADMASAMBHAVA PHUG, Taktok | ||
| 19.1 | THIKSEY GOMPA (Caves at) | ||
| 21.4 | PHARKA GOMPA | ||
| 21.4 | CHEMREY GOMPA, Chimre | ||
| 27.8 | THAKOOR DWARA (Caves near) | ||
| 99.4 | PANAMIK SPRINGS | ||
| 749.0 | PANGU KHOLA SHELTER | ||
| 971.6 | Qizil Ming Öy |