Spiritual · Lo Manthang, Nepal
Murals of Jampa Lhakhang and Thubchen
With your guide and a caretaker monk, visit the two great gompas inside Lo Manthang's walls, whose centuries-old wall paintings and Buddha images were restored in recent decades. Bring a torch and time.
Photo: Samdesherpa · CC BY-SA 4.0 · CommonsJampa Lhakhang, dedicated to Maitreya, the future Buddha, is one of the oldest buildings in Lo Manthang. Its main hall holds a large clay image of Maitreya and walls covered with mandala paintings. Thubchen, a large assembly hall nearby, has tall wooden pillars and murals of Buddhas and protector deities. Both were damaged by time, smoke and leaking roofs, and conservation teams have worked on them since the late 1990s.
Entry is through a caretaker, so your guide will arrange a time. Inside, light is dim; a headtorch with a low red or warm setting helps you see without damaging the paint. Walk clockwise, do not touch the walls, and ask before taking any photographs. A small entry fee and a donation go towards upkeep.
After the gompas, walk to Chode, the town's active monastery, where young monks study and you may hear chanting in the late afternoon. Allow a full morning; the murals reward slow looking.
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Questions
Before you book
Can I take photos inside Lo Manthang's gompas?
Rules vary; some gompas forbid photography and some charge a fee. Always ask the caretaker first, and never use flash on murals.
How old are the gompas in Lo Manthang?
Jampa Lhakhang and Thubchen date back several centuries, to the early centuries of the Kingdom of Lo. Ask your guide for each building's story.
Do I need a guide to enter the gompas?
You will have a licensed guide anyway under permit rules, and the guide arranges entry with the caretaker.