One with the hills
- POSTED ON: 13 Jan, 2025
- TOTAL VIEWS: 185 Views
- POSTED BY: Archana Subramanian | Text: Archita Suryanarayanan
- ARTICLE POINTS: 100 Points
You’ve probably heard of temples, churches, mosques and gurudwaras … India’s diverse religious structures have their own unique architecture. Have you heard of gompas?
A gompa is a sacred site associated with Tibetan Buddhism that has living quarters for monks (a monastery) as well as prayer shrines. Located on high altitudes as per Buddhist principles of geometry, these gompas have linear, white walls, complemented by carved and painted wooden roofs, doors and windows. Their exteriors are often simple, but the interiors explode into vibrant colours with richly painted murals depicting scenes from Buddha’s life, golden statues of deities, and thangkas or paintings on textiles.
The Hemis Gompa in Ladakh is a well-known 17th Century monastery located 11,500 feet above sea level. It is one of the richest gompas with intricate paintings and thangkas. Apart from the main shrine, the monasteries have assembly halls and courtyards, where monks gather for prayers, rituals, teaching, and festivals.
Besides the aesthetics of these structures, what makes them interesting is also their sustainability and response to climate. Gompas used locally available materials like rammed earth and wood, are economical, and also resistant to earthquakes and floods. The buildings are clustered together, and the thick earth walls keep out the cold in the freezing winters.
Did you know?
While the Himalayan region has several impressive monasteries, down south at Byalkuppe in Coorg is Namdroling Monastery. Built in 1963, it is not as ancient as the others, but is home to one of the largest Tibetan settlements in India, second only to Dharamshala.