SHANTI STUPA

The stupa is perched atop a small hill in Leh, the capital town of Ladakh. Shanti Stupa offers a stunning panoramic view of the city and the surrounding villages. The stupa was built in 1991 by Japanese Buddhist Bhikshu, Gyomyo Nakamura as a mark of the successful completion of 2500 years of Buddhism and a part of the peace pagoda mission. It holds the relics of the Buddha at its base that were enshrined by the 14th Dalai Lama. The stupa is a two-level structure, on the first, there is a Dharmachakra with deer on each side and a central golden coloured Buddha image sitting on a platform. On the other, there are reliefs depicting the birth and death of Buddha and his defeating devils while meditating. One can witness the devotees circumambulating the stupa in a clockwise direction. Shanti Stupa is a must go for every tourist.