Spituk Monastery

Spituk Monastery
Spituk Monastery Location within India
Coordinates
Monastery information
Location	Leh district Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, India
Founded by	Od-de, the elder brother of Lha Lama Changchub Od
Founded	11th century
Type	Tibetan Buddhist
Sect	Gelug
Festivals	Gustor Festival: 27-29th of the 11th month

Spituk Monastery, also better as Spituk Gompa or Pethup Gompa, is a Buddhist monastery in Leh district, Ladakh, northern India. 8 kilometres from Leh. The site of Spituk was blessed by the Arhat Nyimagung. It was founded by Od-de, the elder brother of Lha Lama Changchub Od when he came to Maryul in the 11th Century. He introduced the monastic community. When Lotsewa Rinchen Zangpo (Translator) came to that place he said that an exemplary religious community would arise there and so the monastery was called spituk (exemplary). During the time of Dharma raja Gragspa Bum-Ide the monastery was restored by Lama Lhawang Lodos and the stainless order of Tsonkhapa was introduced and it has remained intact as such till present. Founded as a Red Hat institution, the monastery was taken over by the Yellow Hat sect in the 15th century.

The monastery contains 100 monks and a giant statue of Kali (unveiled during the annual Spitok festival).

Horn players in Spituk during the Gustor Festival

Every year the Gustor Festival is held at Spituk from the 27th to 29th day in the eleventh month of the Tibetan calendar.

Geography

Spituk has an average elevation of 3,307 metres (10,852 feet).