India is a diverse land of flora and fauna as you cross different places in India you’ll come to know the beauty of each and every place. There are many places to visit in India but few are just amazing. As it is my first day on steemit. I want to share with you few places that you should visit while you travel to India
Leh
Introduction
Ladakh a word which means "land of high passes", is a region in the state of Jammu and Kashmir of Northern India sandwiched between the Karakoram mountain range to the north and the Himalayas to the south. The Indian portion of Ladakh is composed of the Leh and Kargil districts. The Leh district is the second largest district of India, covering more than half the area of Jammu and Kashmir, of which it is the eastern part.
Topographhy
District Leh is situated roughly between 32 to 36 degree north Latitude and 75 to 80 degree East longitude and altitude ranging from 2300 mtrs to 5000 mtrs above sea level. District Leh with and area of 45100 Sq. Kms. makes it one of the largest District in the country.
Places to visit while you are in Leh-Ladak
Leh Shanti Stupa:
Shanti Stupa is situated on a hilltop in Chanspa, Leh district, Ladakh, in the north Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. Shanti Stupa as know Buddhist white-domed stupa. It was built in 1991 by Japanese Buddhist Bhikshu Gyomyo Nakamura .The Shanti Stupa holds the relics of the Buddha at its base, enshrined by the 14th Dalai Lama himself. Shanti stupa has provides beautiful and panoramic view of the surrounding landscape. This has become a primary reason for Shanti Stupa to become a popular tourist attraction, apart from its religious significance.
The Shanti Stupa was built to promote world peace and prosperity and to commemorate 2500 years of Buddhism. It is considered a symbol of the ties between the people of Japan and Ladakh.
Timings:
05:00 AM to 09:00 PM, Open all days
Things to Do and See in and around
One can also visit the Leh Palace, which is quite close to the Shanti Stupa. Don't forget to click some amazing pictures against the backdrop of the stupa. From here, the view of Leh is extremely beautiful. Tourists can also consider visiting the market nearby the Shanti Stupa to pick some local handicrafts.
Leh Palace
Leh Palace is a former royal palace overlooking the Ladakhi Himalayan town of Leh. Modelled on the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet, the palace was built by King Sengge Namgyal in the 17th century. It is nine storeys high; the upper floors accommodated the royal family, while the lower floors held stables and store rooms
Attractions
The grand royal palace of Leh overlooks the Namgyal hill lying atop the old Leh city. Snuggled in the lap of beautiful landscapes, the Palace is a popular tourist destination in Leh. The important hub of Buddhist culture and religion provides spectacular views. A statue of Lord Buddha graces the monastery of the palace. Old pictures and paintings are displayed in the exhibition halls of the palace, which include Tibetan thangka and other artistic paintings. Paintings that are over 450 years old are housed here. Some of these fine specimens were created using colors derived from powdered stones and gems. Till date these paintings retain their rich and vivid appearance. The Leh palace treasures a rich collection of crowns, ceremonial dresses and jewellery among others.
Timings: 07:00 AM - 04:00 PM (every day)
Entry fees: INR 15 per person (Indian citizens), INR 100 (Foreigner nationals)
Spituk Monastery
Spituk Monastery, also better as Spituk Gompa or Pethup Gompa, is a Buddhist monastery in Leh district, Ladakh, northern India. 8 kilometres from Leh.[1] 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. Spituk has three branches – Stok, Sankar and Saboo monastery. The monastery started off as pat of Kadampa order (Red Hat sect) but it later came into the fold of Gelugpa order (Yellow Hat sect). The monastery currently is home to about 100 monks. It has many ancient shrines, idols, frescoes and religious scriptures. There is a temple higher up the hill devoted to Vajrabhairava Deity. One can see the face of the idol only during Gustor festival. The monastery has images and statues of Lord Buddha. Besides that, there is sacred idol of Amitayus that is a finger high in size which was presented by Tsongkhapa to Takspa Bum-Lde.
Opening hours of Spituk Monastery:
June to September: Open all days
Entry fee for Visiting Spituk Monastery:
• Domestic Adult: 20 per person
Sangam Valley
Sangam Valley is a 48 kilometre drive from Leh and is the confluence of the rivers Indus and Zanskar. Just the view of Sangam Valley from the road above it can make you swoon in ecstasy.
The colours of the two rivers can be distinctly seen at the confluence. It is an amazing place to sit, relax, and enjoy a picnic with family and friends.
Hemis Festival
Hemis Gompa, the largest and richest Buddhist monastery in Ladakh plays host to the popular yearly festival day called Hemis Festival. The day has been declared as the state holiday. This 2-day festival is celebrated on the 10thday of the Tibetan lunar month and remembered as the birth of Padmasambhava, the founder of Tibetan Buddhism. During the festival, the locals get dressed-up in traditional clothes, where men wear cummerbunds and women wear vibrant headgears and loads of jewelry. The Lamas perform sacred masked dance, known as Chaam while they are accompanied by musical drums, long horns and cymbals
Thiksey Monastery
Located around 17 km south to the Leh, this beautiful Buddhist monastery is the largest monastery in central Ladakh. This Tibetan Buddhist monastery was set up by the Gelukpa monks. This wonderful Gompa is positioned on rocky hills what gives the monastery an amazing look. The view of the Indus Valley looks wonderful from the top of this gompa. The architectural beauty and location of this monastery is superb. This 12 storied monastery comprises of 10 temples and assembly hall. The monastery is a residence for 120 monks and nunnery. The buildings of this gompa are built in hierarchal order. Thiksey monastery is known as Mini Potala of India
Magnetic Hill
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Magnet Hill is a "gravity hill" located near Leh in Ladakh, India.[1] The layout of the area and surrounding slopes creates an optical illusion that the downhill road is actually an uphill road. Objects and cars on the hill may appear to roll "uphill" in defiance of gravity when they are, in fact, rolling downhill.
Have you been to Magnetic Hill?
If the answer is no then it is the must place to visit
Though I have visited many places in Leh-Ladakh but this are the places to visit aroud.
Hope you enjoyed the visit to leh....hope you try it soon :)
Nice shots loved the article. Followed you back, hope you can as well.
Thanks
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