Lhalung Monastery
Lhalung Gompa
One of Spiti's oldest monasteries, said to have been founded by Rinchen Zangpo, with exquisite clay sculptures and murals preserved in its halls.
Lhalung Monastery lies in the Lingti Valley north of Dhankar. According to tradition, it was one of the 108 monasteries founded by the great translator Rinchen Zangpo in the Western Himalayas in the 10th and 11th centuries. The main hall, the 'Golden Hall,' has walls covered with colorful clay Buddha sculptures and ancient murals, whose artistic value rivals that of Tabo Monastery. In the village stands an old willow tree associated with Rinchen Zangpo in legend. The monastery key is kept by a monk, so you must ask him to open the doors, and photography inside the hall is prohibited. A mountain path from Dhankar takes about 30 minutes.
Opening hours
Daytime (ask a monk to open the door)
Nearby sights
- Dhankar Monastery & Dhankar Lake
- Komic Village
- Tabo Monastery
- Hikkim Post Office
- Kaza Town & Sakya Tangyud Monastery
- Langza Village
- Key Monastery
- Kibber Village