Rest day at Leh. In the evening visited the famous Shanti Stupa. It is a Buddhist white-domed Stupa on a hilltop in Changspa, Leh. It was built in 1991 by Japanese Buddhist Bhikshu Gyomyo Nakamura . The stupa holds the relics of the Buddha at its base which were enshrined by the 14th Dalai Lama. The stupa is built as a two-level structure. The first level features the central relief of Dharmacakra with deer on each side. A central golden Buddha image sits on a platform depicting the “turning wheel of Dharma” (Dharmacakra). The second level has reliefs depicting the “birth” of Buddha, the death of Buddha (mahanirvana) and Buddha “defeating the devils” while meditating. Both levels feature a series of smaller meditating Buddha reliefs. The stupa was built to promote world peace and prosperity and to commemorate 2500 years of Buddhism. It is considered a symbol of the ties between the people of Japan and Ladakh. The stupa can be reached by a drivable road or on foot using a series of 500 steep steps to the hilltop.The stupa overlooks the city of Leh, providing panoramic views of the city, the village of Changspa, Namgyal Tsemo in the distance and the surrounding mountains. Sunrise and sunset are considered to provide the best views from Shanti Stupa. The stupa is illuminated with lights at night and is open for tourists between 5:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. The climb was bit tough but it was worth the effort. The children of the hosts accompanied us along with Dev, the caretaker of Sheldan Holiday Home.
