Tabo

“Ajanta of the Himalayas”

Tabo Spiti Valley

It remains on the desolate, bone-dry, snow secured, cold and rough desert of the Tabo valley at a confounding tallness of 3050 m. Immaculate by the tribulations of humankind, a paradise in its own sense, it has protected the radiant legacy, customs and culture of Buddhism for hundreds of years, retaining its foundation with absolute immaculateness.

History

“Ajanta of the Himalayas” or Tabo is a small town in Himachal Pradesh that likewise has a wonderful valley alongside the religious community made with the best Indo-Tibetan workmanship and engineering. The town lies out and about between Rekong Peo and Kaza (or Kaja), the sub-divisional command of Spiti. This little place encompasses a Buddhist religious community which is supposed to be over a thousand years of age. As per Dalai Lama Tabo Monastery is one of the holiest monasteries in the world. In 1996, the Dalai Lama directed the Kalachakra commencement service in Tabo, which harmonized with the thousand year’s commemoration festivities of the Tabo religious community. The festival was nurtured by a huge number of Buddhists from all over the world.

The Tabo religious community houses nine sanctuaries, four decorated stupas and twenty three chortens and is a rich geological setting between the Lahaul and Spiti area. It has picked up energy lying amidst the Spiti stream that is encircled by slopes everywhere.

The sanctuaries inside the religious community in Tabo have a plenty of artistic creations and mud sculptures. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) endeavoured to re-establish a few artworks that were deteriorated with time; however their efforts were not fruitful. Photography, be that as it may, isn’t allowed inside the religious community.

Note: A lot of what you read about this town on the web revolves around the multi-year old religious community. It is not really realized that Tabo in Himachal Pradesh, was one of the numerous social hotspots on the Indo-tibetan exchange course and the lord of the Guge Kingdom, Yeshe O in 996BC manufactured this structure as a center point for social trade between Hindus, Buddhists in India and Tibet. They urged Hindu Brahmin interpreters to comprehend and decipher Buddhist sacred texts while remaining in this cloister. This cloister was in certainty built by Rinchen (Zangpo) who made an interpretation of Sanskrit Buddhist writings into Tibetan.

Places to visit in Tabo

The absolute most renowned destinations that you can observe in Tabo are Temple of the Enlightened Gods, otherwise called Tug-Lha-Khang, Mandala Temple and Golden Temple that is developed with unadulterated gold. Other than these referenced above, you can likewise visit The Bodhisattva Maitreya Temple.

The Nine Temples of Tabo

  1. The Temple of the Enlightened Gods (gTug-Lha-khang) : This is otherwise called the gathering lobby (du-khang) and is a remarkable center of the complex. This has a vestibule, a gathering lobby and a sanctum. The focal figure of this lobby is the four-overlap figure of Vairocana. In Vajrayana Buddhism, he is viewed as one of the five children of Adibuddha. With great magnificence he sits around two meters over the floor. He is delineated in a stance turning the wheel of law.
  2. The Golden Temple (gSer-khang) : This sanctuary was comprehensively redesigned in the sixteenth century by Senge Namgyal, leader of Ladakh. The dividers and roofs are secured with exceptional wall paintings.
  3. The Mystic Mandala Temple / Initiation Temple (dKyil-kHor- khang) : The divider confronting the entryway has an immense artistic creation of Vairocana who is encircled by eight Bodhisattvas. Here the commencement to monkhood happens.
  4. The Bodhisattva Maitreya Temple (Byams-Pa Chen-po Lha-khang) : This has a picture of the Bodhisattva Maitreya that is more than six meters tall.
  5. The Temple of Dromton (Brom-ston Lha khang) : Founded by Drompton, this temple lies on the northern edge of the complex.
  6. The Chamber of Picture Treasures (Z’al-ma) : This temple is encircled with beautiful pictures and paintings of Tibet
  7. The Large Temple of Dromton (Brom-ston Lha khang) : The second biggest sanctuary , this has an area of more than 110 sq m. The front partition has the figure of Sakyamuni flanked by Sariputra and Maha Maugdalayana. The external partitions portray the eight Medicine Buddhas and Guardian Kings.
  8. The Mahakala Vajra Bhairava Temple (Gon-khang) : This temple portrays idol of Galuk-pa.
  9. The White Temple (dKar-abyum Lha-Khang) : A beautiful white walled temple.

Caves of Tabo

Tabo Caves are situated simply over the antiquated Tabo Monastery, which was established over 1000 years prior. This old religious community were dug out by priests during the cruel winters of the Himalayas. Named as ‘Tabo Caves,’ these brilliant caves are unearthed for priests and were at first utilized as a get together lobby. Additionally, these caverns are well noticeable from the town and are known to be extremely old.

A portion of the caverns are genuinely very much evolved and the dividers and floor of the caverns are smooth however without any frivolity. The passage of the caverns is thin and prompts other littler rooms. The top of these caves have a wide gap that opens up to the sky and fills in as a vent when flames were singed inside the caverns to keep warm in ruthless weather. These caverns are the best places for the ruminating priests as there is no spot as quiet as these caverns for the searchers of peace. Inside the caverns there are numerous rooms, one prompting the other.

Till today a few caverns are utilized for “Yoga” by priests, few people accept that hints of artistic creations inside the caverns can be found while other keep up that there is no indication of any works of art. A brief trek to the lower regions of the Trans-Himalayas of Tabo will lead your way to these Caves, where the Buddhist lamas find there peace.

Best Time to Visit

Tourists are encouraged to visit the goal throughout the mid-year season, which begins from the long stretch of March and endures till August. Throughout the winter season, it is difficult to reach Tabo because of the overwhelming snowfall.

Tabo is all around associated by the significant methods of transportation, to be specific air, rail and street. The closest airport is Kullu air terminal that is situated a around 294 km from Tabo. Then again, the nearest railhead is Kalka railroad station that is 452 km away from Tabo.  By road Tabo is visited on the Sangla – Nako – Kaza course.

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