Budha Idol | Diskit Monastery | Leh-Ladakh Self Drive Trip | Part-11 Nubra | Jammu | June 2025

Diskit Monastery also known as Deskit Gompa or Diskit Gompa is the oldest and largest Buddhist monastery (gompa) in Diskit, Nubra Valley of the Leh district of Ladakh.It is 115 km north of Leh.

It belongs to the Gelugpa (Yellow Hat) sect of Tibetan Buddhism and was founded by Changzem Tserab Zangpo, a disciple of Tsong Khapa, founder of Gelugpa, in the 14th century. It is a sub-gompa of the Thikse gompa.

Lachung Temple and Hundur Monastery are also located nearby, the latter below the main road near a bridge.

The monastery has a statue of Cho Rinpoche (Crowned Buddha) in the prayer hall, a huge drum and several images of fierce guardian deities. An elevated cupola of the monastery depicts a fresco of the Tashilhunpo Monastery of Tibet.

The monastery administration runs a school, with support from a non-government organization known as the "Tibet Support Group". The school has computer facilities and teaches science subjects, in English, to Tibetan children of the region.

A popular festival known as Dosmoche or the "Festival of the Scapegoat" is held in the precincts of the monastery in February, largely attended by people from villages of the Nubra Valley since the other regions in Leh are inaccessible during this period due to heavy snowfall.

The Diskit monastery was founded by Changzem Tserab Zangpo in the 14th century. Ladakh was then ruled by King Grags-pa-'bum-lde (1400–1440) and his brother, who unsuccessfully attempted to usurp Nubra Valley, which was under a local ruler named Nyig-ma-grags-pa.

The local ruler assisted a Gelugpa order advocate to build the monastery at Diskit and deify the idol of Tsong Khapa, the founder of the Gelugpa sect, in the monastery.

During the rule of King Blogros-chog-idan (1440–1470) who had even controlled western Tibet, Panchen Lha-btsun - a resident of Nubra Valley by birth - studied in Tibet and later became a regent to the founder of Tashilhunpo Monastery and finally during his last stage of life returned to Nubra.

His remains have been preserved in Charasa. In 1500, Ladakh was ruled by Bkra-shis-rnam-rgyal, who fought the invader Mirza Haider of Central Asia, in Nubra and close to Leh, finally defeated the latter and thus brought Nubra under the Ladakh king's rule.

Even then, the local chieftains still yielded power in Diskit and India. Shia Muslims started settling in Nubra after this war. Bkra-shis-rnam-rgyal' son, Tshedbang-rnam-rgyal, ruled Ladakh from 1530 and expanded his kingdom.

At that time, Nubra people prevailed on him and prevented him from invading Hor in Xinjiang, as trade with Yarkand was considered crucial to Nubra.

During the reign of Jams-dbang-rnam-rgyal, historical records indicate that a regular tribute payment was made by the Nubra people to the king.

King Bde-'Idanrnam-rgyal (1620–45) successfully defeated Baltistan and the Mughals.

Rgyal kings were very religious and built mani walls throughout their kingdom. Monks were specially engaged to recite hymns of Mani-tung chur in Nubra Valley and in other surrounding areas.

In the mid-eighteenth century, Tshe-dbang-rnam-rgyal gave control of Diskit monastery to the Rinpoche of Thikse Monastery and this arrangement has been perpetuated to this day. Since then, Diskit is considered a sub-gompa of Thikse.

The Diskit monastery is situated on a hill above the flood plains of the Shyok River, on its right bank in the Diskit village (3,144 metres (10,315 ft)) in Nubra Valley.

Nubra River is a tributary of the Shyok River, which flows parallel to the Indus River on the northern side of the Ladakh Range.

Since the valley is at a lower elevation, it has a mild climate, which has created lush vegetation, so the valley is therefore called the "orchard of Ladakh".

It is located past Leh, beyond the Khardung La pass. Since the mountains often become impassable in winter, Diskit village and the monastery in the valley are primarily the congregation centre for people of the valley.

Diskit is the headquarters of the Nubra Valley and thus has government offices with basic facilities. It is also connected by road with Leh.

Hundar Monastery, also known as Hundar Gompa and Deachen Tsemo Monastery, is a Buddhist monastery in Hundar village, in the Nubra Valley of Ladakh, northern India.

It is located 6 km west of the Diskit Monastery (just northeast of the bridge on Diskit-Thoise Road) & 19 km east of Thoise.

The valley was part of the caravan route between Tibet and China. The valley is also the home of the double-humped Bactrian camel.














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