Little is known about the monasteries that dot the region of the
Himalayas. Spreading from Ladakh, Lahaul, Spiti and Kinnaur to
Sikkim and Bhutan, a mystic value is attached to these places
even today. Over the centuries, these monasteries have been
depicted as places far removed in time and space, places where
time stands still like the barren landscape and the surrounding
rarefied air, devoid of the chirping of birds. Though many
centuries have passed by, several things still remain the same
-- the age-old monastic ceremonies, the warmth of the people and
their religious fervour manifested in numerous festivals. Like
the travellers of the 19th century, explorers, linguists,
scholars, botanists and adventurers even today can see, all
along the Himalayas, people listening with rapt attention to
tales indicating the charm of the region. It is very difficult
to describe in a few words what accounts for the mystique of the
monasteries in this region which is a cultural zone and an
extension of the Tibetan cultur