Diskit Monastery
Diskit, Ladakh · Lord Buddha (Maitreya) · Buddhist Monastery
Hill gompa above Diskit with giant Maitreya statue in Nubra valley.
Diskit Gonpa is described on UT Ladakh tourism as the Nubra sub-division headquarters gompa, perched about 200 m above Diskit village with commanding views of central Nubra and the Shyok valley.
History
UT tourism notes Diskit alongside Samstanling Gonpa as major Nubra monasteries reachable after Khardung La from Leh.
The valley page on leh.nic.in highlights Diskit’s large Maitreya statue as a key Nubra attraction.
Stories
The oldest monastery of the Nubra valley
Diskit Monastery, also called Diskit Gompa, is described as the oldest and largest Buddhist monastery in Nubra, about 115 km north of Leh. It belongs to the Gelugpa, or Yellow Hat, school of Tibetan Buddhism. It is said to have been founded in the 14th century by Changzem Tserab Zangpo, a disciple of Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Gelugpa school. It functions as a sub-monastery of Thikse.
Dosmoche, the festival of the scapegoat
Every winter, around February, the monastery holds Dosmoche, called the Festival of the Scapegoat. People from the villages of Nubra gather in its precincts for it. Nubra can be easier to reach in this season than other parts of Ladakh, since heavy snow cuts off many other areas. Inside the prayer hall are a statue of Cho Rinpoche, a very large drum and images of fierce guardian deities.
Good to know
Hilltop gompa above Diskit village
108 ft Maitreya statue per district Nubra page
Gateway monastery after Khardung La
Getting there
Leh – Khardung La – Diskit (Inner Line Permit required for protected areas). Airport: Leh.
Best time to visit: Jun – Sep