Phuktal Monastery Renovation Project
Ladakh, India
Phuktal Buddhist Monastery (Phuk = cave,Tal = liberation) is situated in the remote Himalayan Zanskar region of Ladakh at 3’900m and is accessible only by foot. It is built around an ancient cave where dedicated followers of the Buddha like the Arhats and Guru Padmasambhava are said to have meditated.
Today the monastary is still home to about 80 monks. The cave and its surroundings are in urgent need of renovation on account of loose stones falling from the ceiling of the cave and the rocks above. The monastery is not only a sacred place but also an architectural miracle. Therefore, every effort to make it a safe place to live or
visit again also contributes to the preservation of a unique, cultural heritage.
A group led by Dechen Kaning-Emchi from the Tibet Aid Association Tschutig Gyatso Switzerland, and the documentary filmmaker Stéfane Kleeb visited the monastery in 2023. They have initiated a project to protect the monastery complex and all its buildings against falling rocks by 2025/26.
(website to follow)