Buddhist Pilgrimage Tours
Spiti
Ki Monastery, Spiti:
A great impetus came when king Trison Detsen (Khri-Sron-Ide-bTsan, 755-797
AD) of Tibet embraced the teachings of the Buddha. He sent to India for great
masters like Santarakshta and the famous teacher and 'tantric', Padmasambhava.
Under Pdmasambhava's influence, Mahayana Buddhism, the 'Greater Vehicle' fanned
over the world's highest plateaux. Known to the Tibetans as Guru or Orgian
Rimpche, the Precious Master, Padasambhava began the synthesis of Mahayana
practices, 'yogic tantricism' , and the native Bon religion-retaining a large
measure of its nature worship and demonolatry. The combine of ritual, fiath
and philosophic content created what we recognize today as Vajrayana Bhddhism,
the "thunderbolt Vehicle".
The ninth century brough a break in the spread of Buddhist learning when
the king, Lang Darma rejected it and began supporting the Bon faith. He
was murdered by a Buddhist monk, Pal Dorje and the tenth and eleventh centuries
witnessed the grand revival of Buddhist learning. It was an age of great
teacdhers-Atisha Marpa, Rinchensang-po and Milarepa.
In 1357 AD, the towering reformer, Tsong, khapa began the religious renewal
that emphasized Atisha's teachings and a purity of doctrine. He founded
the Geluk-pa sect. the 'Yellow Hats' who grew to hold considerable sway-and
from which the Dalai lamas were to come. (In 1578 AD, a descendent of Chengis-Ghengis-Khan
and ruler of China, had given Sonam Gyatso the title of Ta-le, now written
as Dalai- Which means the 'Master of the Ocean of Wisdom' When the kingdom
of Guge rose in western Tibet after the assassination of Lang Daram, it
encompassed the present day tracts of Spiti, Lahaul, Zanskar and upper kinnaru.
The strong cultural and religious identity of the region dates back to those
years.
Kinnaur to Spiti:
Further, on the road from Sarahan to Spiti,is the turning point for Kalpa
and Recong Po. With the Kinner Kailash in direct view, a 79-foot-high rock
formation alongside changes colour as the day progresses. On the route to
Spiti are Jangi, Chango and Nako. At Nako the houses seem half buried in
the ground and the nearby lakes' waters seep into the rooms.
Spiti to Kaza:
Tabo's 8th century gompa has exquisite frescoes and stucco statues and is
known as the "Ajanta of the Himalayas" Kaza, apart from home to
many monasteries, is an ideal base for treks to Ki and Kibber, the region's
highest permanently inhabited village linked by a motorable road.
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