Zongkhul Monastery, , Jammu & Kashmir India

Zongkhul Monastery, also spelled Dzongkhul, is one of the spectacular cave monasteries in Zanskar region of Ladakh. Situated in Stod Valley, it looks like a swallow’s nest on the rock face of Ating gorge from a distance.

The monastery belongs to the Drugpa order of Tibetan Buddhsim. With no road access, trekking is the only way to reach the monastery. It lies on the Padum-Kishtwar trek route.

It was founded by Naropa, the celebrated Buddhist yogi and lecturer of Nalanda and Vikramshila University in Bihar, a millennium ago. Naropa is believed to have meditated for two years at one of the caves which forms the monastery. A footprint on a rock at the entrance of the lower cave is believed to be that of Naropa.

Murals and frescos in the monastery reflect a high degree of artistic achievement of ancient age. There are collections of precious artifacts like ivory image of Samvara, a crystal stupa, texts containing the spiritual songs and thangkas. One of the murals of Zhadpa Dorje, about 300-years-old, is quite impressive.

It is spectacularly nestled on a rock-face overlooking the Zongkhul falls. The Indian yogi Naropa, is said to have used the caves of this monastery for meditation, and his footprints are said to be embedded in a rock. Since then, this monastery has been a sacred place for meditation, with plenty of enlightened ones like Dubchen Kunga Gyatso, Dubchen Nawang Tsering, Dzadpa Dorje and Kunga  Choslag having taken meditative solace here.