As
a part of my new objective, I have chosen to write about lesser-known places of
India which is exotic, yet remain unexplored. We all know that the majestic
Himalayas is a world in itself & stands home to millions of flora &
fauna found across the world. The Great Himalayan range is spread across India,
Nepal, Bhutan & China to some extent. Himalaya houses many spectacular
places, which is comprised of almost all pigments of life. The calm, cumbersome
yet serene Phugtal Monastery is certainly a place travel enthusiast would love
to pay a visit to.
General
Description:
Phugtal Monastery or Phugtal
Gompa (often recited as Phuktal) is one of the most
isolated monasteries located in the remote Lungnak Valley of Zanskar,
in the autonomous Himalayan region of Ladakh, Northern India. The monastery
sits atop a cliff where Tibetan Buddhists live. Its uncanny honeycomb structure
& picturesque location makes it one of the most sought after places in
India.
Best
Season/ Climate to visit:
As
the monastery lies amid Ladakh region, which reels under severe cold weather
conditions throughout the year, it is advisable to visit the place from mid
July to September. It is the best time to visit Phuktal as rest of
the months Kargil-Padum road is closed due to profuse snowfall.
Highlights
of the place:
The
place is a monastery, with close to 70 monks who reside high up in the
Himalayas, detached from the whole world. Phuktal welcomes all the aspiring
visitors to explore the monastery & attend daily pujas, ceremonies &
annual festivals. Overnight accommodation is also available at the guesthouse
and camping ground situated just below the monastery, which doesn’t need any
reservation.
How
to reach down to the place:
Traveling
to Phugtal Monastery is not easy at all. Given the remote location of the place
amid mountains & valleys, you have to be prepared for some adventurous
trekking, which can stretch to duration of as long as 8 hours. A few hours of
drive from Padum, the biggest town in Zanskar, will bring to the “end of the
road”. After this, a compulsory walk of a few hours (5 for the
locals, in normal conditions it will take you a little less than 8
hours) through High Mountain passes of the Greater Himalayas lead to the
Phuktal monastery.
Prerequisites,
if any:
The
place is strictly a non-commercial zone, so it is strongly recommended to carry
basic requirements in your rucksack. Also there is no guesthouse or hotels at
Phuktal. Tourists can find arrangements for stay at the monastery.
Options
to eat are very limited at the place. Well, if you are lucky monks provide you
the food as they do to other visitors otherwise there are not much of the
options to eat. It would be advisable to carry your food packets during visit
to the monastery.
If
you want to relish the best of unexplored India, you must consider visiting
this place atleast once.
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