Ladakh: Sakti + Chemre – Cold Feet in the Monastery

22. December 2025

 

 

The sun was shining so beautifully that we used the drive to take a lovely photo of each monastery along the way to Sakti.

 

 

 

 

 

In Sakti there is Takthok Monastery, with a meditation cave of Padmasambhava. A monk was sitting there performing a long and interesting puja, probably specifically for Losar. Photography was not allowed inside, but it was permitted in the courtyard, where we could photograph the monk and a cat. The monk in the courtyard assisted the meditation monk by bringing him various ritual items. The cat was running around and back and forth to her kittens, which were behind a door.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DThe valley heading toward the Wari-la pass looked so beautiful and inviting that I would have loved to wander around there for hours.

 

 

 

 

But it was lunchtime, our stomachs were hungry, and we had an appointment! We were invited to Tsering Dolma’s home in Karu, which was very nice. She had prepared kambir with vegetables, dal, soup, snacks, and more — all very tasty. Her daughter did a great job entertaining the group, and Tsering Dolma herself did too. It was lovely. Tsering Dolma has even visited me at my home in Ruhpolding before. Next time I’ll stay a bit longer, then I’ll have time for a proper chat — and can explore the upper valley even better.

 

 

 

After that, the sky closed in completely again. We drove to Chemre Monastery. There were several rooms to visit, but it was very cold on the feet and I hopped around hurriedly. In the large assembly hall, stormas and other ritual objects were set up, meant to be destroyed in a ceremony on 29 December. Hooray! That meant we would get to experience something extra. To anticipate things: unfortunately, that didn’t happen. They prayed through the night and then carried out the ritual at 5:30 in the morning. That was simply too early for us.

 

 

 

 

 

In one room, however, I stayed longer after all. Basically, I don’t have a great passion for Buddhist wall paintings. But I do enjoy discovering special drawings — and in this room I was richly rewarded: so many distinctive faces!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And then there were masks lying around as well, which I photographed.

 

 

 

It was a pity that it was so cold (not just on the feet). At least we had been given some tea by the monks beforehand, which was very kind. There were a handful of monks there, and one of them had just brought several trays of eggs.

 

Wir fuhren zurück, freuten uns über tolle Hotelheizung und hofften auf feines Wetter für unsere morgige Fahrt in die Sham-Region. Bei Sonne ist es doch nochmal bisschen schöner.