The magnificent Phuktal Monastery, also known as Phuktal / Phugtal Gompa is a Buddhist Monastery located in a remote Himalayan region of Zanskar, Ladakh, Northern India. What’s interesting about it is that it’s one of the very few monasteries in the Himalayan region that can only be reached on foot The Phuktal Gompa owes its legacy to powerful and renowned scholars and teachers who resided in the cave, around which the monastery has been built, and has for long been a place for retreat, meditation, learning, and teaching. This is reflected in its name Phuktal, which is derived from Phukthal, made up of Phuk meaning 'cave', and Tal or Thal meaning 'at leisure' in the endangered Zangskari dialect of the Tibetic languages. An alternate spelling of Phuktal is Phukthar, where Thar means 'liberation'. Hence, the name Phuktal means 'the cave of leisure' or 'the cave of liberation'. The Phuktal Monastery is built around a natural cave, which is believed to have been visited by numerous sages, scholars, translators, and monks around 2,550 years ago. The remote location of the monastery was ideal for monks looking for peace and solitude to meditate. And now, it is no different for travellers looking for the same. #travel #wanderlust #phugtal #phuktal #monastery #zanskar #roadtrip #hiking #trekking #travelgram #instablogger #ladakh #mountains #ss #saurabh #sabikhi #saurabhsabikhi #blogger #travelblogger #photographer #naturelovers #myths #incredible #india #architecture #beautiful #travelgoals #throwback #latergram #travelgram
