Sumdo

A few days before I set off from Leh, a picnic with the ‘french girls’ at the monastery of Sumdo, a one hour trek from the end of a paved spur, turning off of the road that follows the Zaskar before reaching Chilling.

A view of a stupa and the valley far below that the Austrian, the french girls and I trekked up over the course of a rather warm, high altitude hour or so.
A view of a stupa and the valley far below that the Austrian, the french girls and I trekked up over the course of a rather warm, high altitude hour or so.
A group of friends the Austrian and I named the 'french girls' who were trained restoration artists staying and helping at the monastery in Matho nearer to Leh.
A group of friends the Austrian and I named the ‘french girls’ who were trained restoration artists staying and helping at the monastery in Matho nearer to Leh.
The author is front of a stupa at the monastery of Sumdo, an hour trek from the road following the Zaskar from Nimmu, turning off before Chilling.
The author is front of a stupa at the monastery of Sumdo, an hour trek from the road following the Zaskar from Nimmu, turning off before Chilling.
A reasonable repair for light weight climbers.
A reasonable repair for light weight climbers.
A wooden ladder leading to a roof portion of the monastery at Sumdo. Rickety for a 90 kg person, it includes tied cloth reinforced rungs that experience as the ladder sits just feet from the edge of the roof line, and a valley far below.
A wooden ladder leading to a roof portion of the monastery at Sumdo. Rickety for a 90 kg person, it includes tied cloth reinforced rungs that experience as the ladder sits just feet from the edge of the roof line, and a valley far below.
A 14 foot tall Buda housed inside a covered, two story section of the monastery at Sumdo. Reached by crawling through a tiny door at its bottom, it can also be seen, at least partly, from inside the pray chamber (if I recall correctly).
A 14 foot tall Buda housed inside a covered, two story section of the monastery at Sumdo. Reached by crawling through a tiny door at its bottom, it can also be seen, at least partly, from inside the pray chamber (if I recall correctly).
Just above the monastery at Sumdo, looking out over the valley we ascended. A village is only a few hundred meters to the right of this photograph, a handful of mud-brick houses, from which a woman, seeing us approach, met us with a key and chaperoned access.
Just above the monastery at Sumdo, looking out over the valley we ascended. A village is only a few hundred meters to the right of this photograph, a handful of mud-brick houses, from which a woman, seeing us approach, met us with a key and chaperoned access.

Leave a Reply