Citadel of the Drukpa Lineage
Hemis Monastery, founded in 1672 under royal patronage, is the largest gompa in Ladakh and the principal seat of the Drukpa Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. Tucked into a gorge away from the main Leh-Manali highway, the monastery escaped the destruction visited on other Ladakhi monasteries during historical invasions, allowing it to preserve an exceptional collection of thangkas, statues and a sacred gold stupa studded with precious stones.
Hemis is internationally known for its Hemis Festival each June or July, commemorating the birth of Guru Padmasambhava with elaborate masked Cham dances performed by monks in elaborate costume — one of the most visually extraordinary living Buddhist traditions in the Himalayas. Once every twelve years, the monastery unveils its largest thangka, a multi-storey appliqué masterpiece, drawing pilgrims and visitors from across the world.
