Place Details:
Phyang monastery is located 17 km west from Leh in Ladakh region in Jammu and Kashmir in north India. Phyang and Lamayuru are the only monasteries in Ladakh that belong to Dri-gung-pa sect of Tibetan Buddhism. The name Phyang was derived from Gang Ngonpo that means the blue mountain, which is situated behind the monastery. Legend has it that the foundation of the monastery was laid by Denma Kunga Drakpa. It is said that Drakpa stayed at the area in a tented camp to contemplate the beauty of the place. While meditating he saw the protectresss Achi on her blue horse. He took the dream as auspicious sign and decided to construct the monastery at the top of the hill.
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It is also said that there were numerous monastic properties at the site which were offered to Denma Kunga Drakpa by the Dharmaraja Jamyang Namgyal. It was also the venue of Tashi Chozong monastery established in 1515. But to trace the sequence of Phyang monastery’s establishment is difficult as some events are not mentioned clearly. The monastery is known for its ancient wall paintings, collections of old thangkas and murals of Mahakala. The monastery is home to 100 monks. The monastery also houses a school to impart training in Buddhism along with modern education. There is an old temple of Mahakala (the Gomkhang) which was built at the time of the foundation of monastery. There is a museum in the monastery that has 900-year-old collections of idols, scriptures, Chinese, Tibetan and Mongolian firearms and weapons.
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The Phyang monastery festival attracts large number of tourists. Dance, music and mask dance are high point of the event. The Cham dance by the lamas is quite spectacular to watch. There are no hotels, resorts or homestays near Phyang monastery. Leh is a good option to stay. Since there aren’t too many hotels around the corner, most restuarants and eateries are also located near Leh. It is advisable to carry your own food while traveling to the Phyang Monastery. The best time to visit Phyang monastery is between May and September, when the weather remains warm. Most of the entry points to Phyang remain closed after November due to heavy snowfall.
Photograph courtesy: Hceebee/Creative Commons
BEST TIME TO VISIT LADAKH
The average minimum and maximum temperature of Ladakh is as given below. The best time to visit Ladakh is also specified.
| MONTH | BEST TIME | | MIN. TEMP (°C) | MAX. TEMP (°C) |
| January | | | -15 | -4 |
| February | | | -13 | -2 |
| March | | | -9 | 5 |
| April | | | -4 | 10 |
| May | | | 5 | 40 |
| June | Best time | | 5 | 40 |
| July | Best time | | 5 | 40 |
| August | Best time | | 5 | 40 |
| September | Best time | | 5 | 40 |
| October | | | 5 | 40 |
| November | | | -14 | 24 |
| December | | | -14 | 24 |