At a distance of around 14 km from the Kaza, stands the famous Thang Yug Gompa which was constructed in the first half of the 14th century. The gompa is associated with the Sa-kya-pa sect and is known for its historical significance. As per history, a group of eminent Buddhist scholars of the monastery, quiet adept in tantra, successfully completed the task of revising the Tangyur. Tangyur is one class of the Tibetan scriptures consisting of 87 volumes.
The history of the gompa also states that it earlier stood at Hikkim village but a major earthquake of 1975 caused immense damage to the structure. The villagers, thereafter, shifted this monastery to its current site near Comic village. The remnants of the old monastery is still seen in Hikkim.
The head lama of the monastery belongs to Tibet.
Spiti
Spiti translates into the Place of Mani, Si means mani and piti means place. Known as the Last Shangri la, Spiti has Kinnaur in its south east, Tibet in the northeast, Ladakh in the north, Kullu in the south and Lahaul in the west. Along with Lahaul, Spiti forms the northeastern district of Himachal Pradesh, India.
Kaza, the headquarters of Spiti sub division, is segregated into the old Kaza and New Kaza. The former is inhabited by the local people while the latter houses the tin roofed government buildings. For tourists coming to Kaza, there is quiet a few staying options avaialble in form of a PWD Rest House, HTPDC Hotel and some budget hotels. Alternatively, Kaza is also perfect for camping for all those who wish to explore the nearby areas.
Other Attractions
- Lalung Gompa: A small gompa occupies a prominent position in the village of Lalung. Notwithsatnding its size, the gompa attracts tourists in considerable number because of its heavily carved wooden Pannelling.
- Kye Monastery : The biggest monastery of the Spiti valley is located 12 km from Kaza at an altitude of 4116m. The history of the monastery reveals that it suffered a lot at the hands of the invading armies in the 17th century. Because of this and earthquake that rocked the area later, the monastery does not have a very harmonious structure. Nonetheless, it does have a lot of attractions, the major ones include thankas and musical instruments. Around 300 lamas receive their religious training in this monastery.
- Kungri Gompa : Kungri gompa lies at a distance of 10 km from Attargo which itself is around 12 km from Kaza. The monastery was constructed in the first half of the 14th century and reflects the impact of the tantric cults of Buddhisms.
- Kibber: 18 km from Kaza, Kibber is the highest settlement in the world which is connected by motorable road, has electricty and satellite dishes. This place is home to a monastery which is named after Serkong Rimpoche of Tabo. He expired in this monastery in the year 1983 and at the place where he was being cremated, a water source erupted. Even today, water coming out from the source is utilised by the people of Kibber.
How to Reach
Spiti can be reached by road by two routes. The first one, open between July to October, starts from Manali and reaches Kaza via Rohtang Pass. The second one begins from Shimla and reaches Kaza via Kinnaur. This route can be taken between May to October. The distance from Manali is 214 km while from Shimla it is 412 km. Manali and Shimla are connected by rest of the country by air and rail.
From Kaza, you can take a small vehicle upto Langza and then walk to Hikkim and Thang Yug Gompa. Alternatively, you can also walk upto Comic (6 km) from Kaza and then proceed towards Thang yug Gompa and Hikkim. The monastery can also be reached by bus from Kaza.
