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Task 18 (cosmetic): eval 18 templates: hyphenate params (14×);

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{{about|the monastery in India|the monastery in Nepal|Shey Gompa}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2018}}
{{Infobox Tibetan Buddhist monastery
|name =Shey Palace and Monastery
|alt =
|image = Shey Gompa.jpg
|caption =Shey Palace
|map_type = India Ladakh#India
|coordinates = {{coord|34|04|18|N|77|37|58|E|display=inline,title}}
|map_caption =
|location=[[Shey]], [[Leh district]], [[Ladakh]], [[India]]
|founded_by =[[Deldan Namgyal]]
|date_renovated =
|sect =
|lineage=
|dedicated_to =
|head_lama =
|no._of_monks =
|architecture =
|festivals=
|footnotes = Shey Monastery is within the Shey Palace complex
}}
The '''Shey Monastery''' or [[Gompa]] and the '''Shey Palace''' complex are structures located on a hillock in [[Shey]], {{convert|15|km|mi}} to the south of [[Leh]] in [[Ladakh]], northern [[India]] on the Leh-Manali road. Shey was the summer capital of Ladakh in the past. It contains a huge shahyamuni buddha statue. It is the second largest buddha statue in Jammu and Kashmir.<ref name="Temples">{{cite web|url=http://www.buddhist-temples.com/buddhist-monastery/ladakh/shey.html|title=Shey Gompa |publisher=Buddhist-temples.com|access-date=2009-10-11}}</ref><ref name=Bindloss>{{Cite book |last=Bindloss |first=Joe|author2=Sarina Singh |title= India|work=Shey Palace |page=[https://archive.org/details/lonelyplanetindi00sari/page/381 381] |access-date=2009-11-30 |url= https://archive.org/details/lonelyplanetindi00sari |url-access=registration |publisher= Lonely Planet |year=2007 |isbn= 9781741043082}}</ref>

The original palace, now in ruins, was built near the Shey village by [[Lhachen Palgyigon]], the king of Ladakh (then called [[Maryul]]), in the 10th century.{{sfnp|Dorjay, Embedded in Stone|2014|p=53}} The Moghul noble [[Mirza Haidar Dughlat]] stayed here during his invasion of Ladakh in the 16th century.{{sfnp|Howard & Howard, Historic Ruins in the Gya Valley|2014|p=88}}

The current Shey Palace and Monastery was also built in 1655 on the instructions of [[Deldan Namgyal]], in the memory of his late father, [[Sengge Namgyal]], below the first palace.{{sfnp|Kaul, Rediscovery of Ladakh|1998|p=62}} The monastery is noted for its giant copper with gilded gold statue of a seated [[Shakyamuni Buddha]]. Shakyamuni Buddha is so named since Buddha was the sage (muni) of the [[Sakya]] people who resided in the [[Himalayas|Himalayan]] foothills and their capital was [[Kapilavastu (ancient city)|Kapilvastu]]. It is said to be the second largest such statue in Ladakh.<ref name="Temples"/><ref name=repose>{{Cite web|url=http://www.buddhistravel.com/index.php?id=66,645,0,0,1,0|title=Leh in repose|access-date=2009-11-30}}</ref><ref name=bharat>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bharatonline.com/kashmir/ladakh/monasteries/shey.html|title= Shey Gompa|access-date=2009-11-30}}</ref>

==History==
[[File:Shey Palace4.jpg|thumb|upright|View of the palace and valley]]
{{Further|Shey}}
Shey was the old capital of the upper Ladakh region. When the [[Dogra|Dogras]] of [[Jammu]] invaded Ladakh in 1842, the Namgyals abandoned the palace and fled to [[Stok]] (they made it their permanent residence) on the opposite side of the [[Indus River]]. It is conjectured that the fort found in ruins, not dated, above the present palace at Shey, belonged to this period of invasion.<ref name=Bhasin/><ref name=trek/><ref name=Kaul>{{Cite book|last=Kaul|first=H.N|title= Rediscovery of Ladakh|work=Shey, Leh|page=174|access-date=2009-11-30|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mg8My6WaWRcC&q=Shey+Monastery%2C+Leh&pg=RA1-PA174|publisher=Indus Publishing|year=1998|isbn=9788173870866}}</ref> Subsequently, when the political dictates necessitated shifting of the capital to Leh, even then the importance of Shey continued since it was a mandatory requirement of the Namgyal kings to father their heir apparent here.<ref name=Bhasin>{{Cite book|last=Bhasin|first=Sanjeev Kumar|title= Amazing land Ladakh: places, people, and culture|work=Shey Monastery|page=112|access-date=2009-11-30|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8IZloNzI8BgC&q=Shey+Monastery%2C+Leh&pg=PA112|publisher= Indus Publishing|year=2006|isbn= 9788173871863}}</ref><ref name=trek>{{Cite web|url=http://www.trekkinginladakh.com/shey-gompa.html|title=Shey Gompa|access-date=2009-11-30}}</ref>

==Geography and visitor information==
[[File:Shey palace1.jpg|thumb|200px|Closer view of Shey Palace and chortens ([[stupa]]s) nearby]]
Shey Monastery is located in the upper [[Indus Valley]], just {{convert|15|km|mi}} east of the modern capital of Ladakh, [[Leh]]. Zanskar range of hills are on its southern side in the fertile Indus River valley. It has an average elevation of {{convert|11204|ft|m}}.<ref name=Chitkara>{{Cite book|last=Chitkara|first=M.G.|title= Kashmir Shaivism: under siege |work= Shey monastery |pages= 311–312; 353 |access-date=2009-11-30|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5CK0DFijayQC&q=Shey+Monastery%2C+Leh&pg=PA311|publisher=APH Publishing|year=2002|isbn=9788176483605}}</ref>

Shey is located on the road from Leh to [[Thikse Monastery]]. Many monasteries, stupas and rock carvings can be seen on this road. It can be approached by trekking {{convert|4|km|mi}} from Thiksey and the path is known as: "for having Ladakh’s biggest chorten fields with hundreds of whitewashed shrines of varying sizes scattered across the desert landscape."<ref name=Abram/>

The nearest airport is at Leh. Special permission is essential to visit the monastery, as only one lama resides here and the inner sanctum is usually closed.<ref name=Bhasin/> On a lane, opposite to the Shey palace there is a hotel for visitors, which is surrounded by flowered gardens.<ref name=Bindloss/>

==Architecture==
{{anchor | Arch | arch }}
{{see also | Architecture of India#State | l1= Architecture of Indian states and UTs | Architecture of India#Indic | l2= Architecture of Indic religions | Indian vernacular architecture | Ancient Indian architecture | Architecture of Tibet }}

[[File:Chorten of Shey Palace.jpg|upright|thumb|Main chorten of the palace]]

The main [[Shakyamuni Buddha]] statue in the monastery is a {{convert|12|m|ft}} icon covering three floors of the monastery.<ref name="Temples"/><ref name=Bhasin/><ref name=Chitkara/><ref name=Abram/><ref name=Nepal/> The giant Buddha as seen in the monastery is on three levels; the lowest level shows his huge feet and "soles pointing upwards" and a mural of [[Shambunath]], the middle floor shows murals of the Buddha in different postures and the upper floor is darkened by the soot of the butter lamps that burn eternally at the altar.<ref name=Kaul/><ref name=Abram/>

The statue was first cast in parts, in Leh, at a place known as Zanstin. ‘Zans’ means "copper" and ‘til’ means "hammer". The copper plates used in the statue were made from [[copper]], collected from [[Lingshet]] mines and other villages of the [[Zanskar]] area. The plates from the copper ingots were made by hammering them on a nearby rock. It was first built in parts and then transported to the palace for installation. It is said that about 5 kilograms of gold was used for gilding the copper plates of the statue in the main monastery.<ref name =Ladak/><ref name=Rajesh/>

On the upper floor of monastery, a number of beautiful wall paintings are displayed. The lower floor has a library with many neatly preserved manuscripts<ref>[http://www.frontline.in/archives.htm Buddhist Art ] Frontline Magazine , pg 78, 13–26 May 1989</ref> and is decorated with murals of Buddha figures in various [[mudras]] (hand gestures).<ref name="Temples"/><ref name=bharat/><ref name=Abram>{{Cite book|last=Abram|first=David|title= Rough guide to India|work=Shey Monastery, Leh|page=547|access-date=2009-11-30|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kAMik_6LbwUC&q=Shey+Monastery%2C+Leh&pg=RA4-PA547|publisher=Rough Guides|year=2003|isbn=9781843530893}}</ref>

About {{convert|400|m|ft}} from the palace, there is another small shrine built by [[Sengge Namgyal]]. This shrine also houses another large statue of Shakyamuni Buddha in a sitting posture. Here also, the murals and images inside are similar to the palace shrine. It is recorded that this statue and the other one in the main monastery were crafted by a [[Nepal]]ese sculptor named Sanga Zargar Wanduk. He was reportedly brought here by Sengge's mother, Gyal Khatun, not only to build this statue but also the main statue in the palace. Paldana Shering Gyaso, Gamani Jal Shring and Nakbiri were other craftsmen who assisted him. It is reported that in an isolated village called Chilling the descendants of these craftsmen live and are now known for their craftsmanship in conventional silverware.<ref name=trek/><ref name=Kaul/><ref name=Nepal>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ladakhtours.org/shey-monestry-tour.html|title= Shey Monastery Tour|access-date=2009-11-30}}</ref><ref name=Ladak>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ladakh-kashmir.com/leh-ladakh/shey-monastery.html|title= Shey Monastery|access-date=2009-11-30}}</ref>

The small shrine also depicts murals, which represent the 16 [[Arhats]], original disciples of the Buddha, together with some of the renowned teachers like [[Padmasambhava]], [[Atisa]] and Tson-Ka-Pa. Near to this shrine, two small [[tantra|Tantric]] shrines also exist. Close to this shrine, carvings are seen on rock spurs on the road to the palace. These rock carvings are of the five [[Dhyani Buddha]]s; one of them is very large and close to the palace while the other four are located close to a chorten. Also seen are many chortens to the east of the palace.<ref name=Bindloss/><ref name=trek/><ref name=Nepal/>

At the edge of the valley, there is ''photong'' (official residence) of the Lama of the monastery from where there are scenic views of the Indus valley. The small palace is, however, dilapidated and is much smaller than the Leh palace. It is located below an abandoned fort. It has a golden chorten spire. But its importance is now more due to the Buddha deified in the monastery.<ref name=Bindloss/>

Perched on top of the hill, the monastery commands panoramic view of the surroundings of [[Thikse]], [[Stakna]], [[Matho]], Stok and also Leh.<ref name=Bhasin/>

==Worship==
{|class="wikitable" align="right" width="30%" style="font-size:90%; border:2px solid orange;"
|+ Shakyamuni Buddha in Shey Monastery
|width="40%" align="center" valign="center"|[[File:Statue of the Buddha at Shey Palace 02.jpg|200px]]
|width="40%" align="center" valign="center"|[[File:Shey palace Shakyamuni buddha.jpg|150px]]
|-
|valign="top"|Front view
|valign="top"|Side view
|-
|}
The offerings placed for worship in front of the deities in the sanctum are grain, jewels, holy signs and with mantars (holy chants inscribed inside it.<ref name=bharat/>

A number of butter lit lamps are placed in the shrine, which burn perpetually over a full year and are then replaced to continue the flame without interruption. It is a symbolic significance of the divinity and purity of the shrine.<ref name=bharat/>

===Festivals===
There are two seasonal festivals held here every year. The first festival is held at Shey Palace on the 26th and 27th day of the first month of the [[Tibetan calendar]] corresponding to July or August month of the [[Gregorian calendar]]. This festival is called "Shey Doo Lhoo" to mark the beginning of the sowing season. The two day monastic celebration is marked by special rituals performed by the monks in the main monastery, in addition to several other religious rites. Villagers throng to the monastery in large numbers in a spirit of celebration and hope.<ref name="Temples"/><ref name=celebrate>{{Cite web|url=http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=42,6032,0,0,1,0|title= Shey Doo Lhoo" celebrated in Ladakh|access-date=2009-11-30}}</ref> During this festival, an [[oracle]] reader who visits the monastery on a horse back, conducts a three-day prayer, and then goes into trance. In this state of trance, he is said to give prophesies.<ref name=Rajesh/>

The second festival is called the "Shey Rupla" that marks the harvesting season. On this occasion farmers offer the first fruits of the corn at the monastery. A dance called the "Rhupla dance" is performed by two men in tiger costumes. Other forms of folk dances are also performed. Two soothsayers also visit the festival and give out oracles.<ref name=Shashi>{{Cite book|last=Shashi|first=S.S.|title= Encyclopaedia of Indian tribes|work=Shey Monastery, Leh|page=210|access-date=2009-11-30|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=vlTgSNdJTxkC&q=Shey+Monastery%2C+Leh&pg=PA210|publisher= Anmol Publications Pvt. Ltd.|year=1997|isbn= 9788170418368}}</ref>

There is a belief that women without children offer special prayers here to Buddha seeking blessings to beget children.<ref name=Bhasin/>

==Funerals==
Close to the palace is the funeral ground. The dead are carried in a chair after due rites are performed at home. The body is placed on a [[Litter (vehicle)|sedan chair]] and carried to the funeral ground in a procession of lamas and the common people of the village. The chair is then laid in a "tubular walled oven", as prayers are chanted. The ashes are later scattered in the river.<ref name=Rajesh>{{Cite book|last=Rajesh|author2=Thomas L. Kelly |title= The Buddhist monastery|page=139|work=Shey Monastery|access-date=2009-11-30|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EfUo1hWUNjYC&q=Shey+Monastery%2C+Leh&pg=PA139|publisher=Roli Books Private Limited|year= 1998|isbn=9788174360540}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==Bibliography==
* {{citation |editor1-first=Erberto |editor1-last=Lo Bue |editor2-first=John |editor2-last=Bray |chapter=Introduction |title=Art and Architecture in Ladakh: Cross-cultural Transmissions in the Himalayas and Karakoram |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CJCfAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA5 |year=2014 |publisher=BRILL |isbn=978-90-04-27180-7 |ref={{sfnref|Lo Bue & Bray, Art and Architecture in Ladakh|2014}}}}
** {{citation |first=Phuntsog |last=Dorjay |chapter=Embedded in Stone—Early Buddhist Rock Art of Ladakh |title=Ibid |year=2014 |pages=35–67 |isbn=9789004271807 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CJCfAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA35 |ref={{sfnref|Dorjay, Embedded in Stone|2014}}}}
** {{citation |last1=Howard |first1=Neil |last2=Howard |first2=Kath |chapter=Historic Ruins in the Gya Valley, Eastern Ladakh, and a Consideration of Their Relationship to the History of Ladakh and Maryul |title=Ibid |year=2014 |pages=68–99 |isbn=9789004271807 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CJCfAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA68 |ref={{sfnref|Howard & Howard, Historic Ruins in the Gya Valley|2014}}}}
* {{citation |first=H. N. |last=Kaul |title=Rediscovery of Ladakh |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mg8My6WaWRcC&pg=PA62 |year=1998 |publisher=Indus Publishing |isbn=978-81-7387-086-6 |ref={{sfnref|Kaul, Rediscovery of Ladakh|1998}}}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Shey palace and monastery}}
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Mnoe2aGXk4 Video clip of Shey Monastery]

{{Buddhist monasteries in Ladakh}}

[[Category:Palaces in Ladakh]]
[[Category:Buddhist monasteries in Ladakh]]
[[Category:Tibetan Buddhist monasteries and temples in India]]
[[Category:Religious buildings and structures completed in 1655]]
[[Category:1655 establishments in Asia]]

Shey Monastery - Revision history

imported>Monkbot: Task 18 (cosmetic): eval 18 templates: hyphenate params (14×);