Hemis
Loading map…
Overview
Hemis Monastery is one of the largest and wealthiest Buddhist monasteries in Ladakh, about 40 km south-east of Leh. It belongs to the Drukpa lineage of Tibetan Buddhism and was re-established in the seventeenth century under the Namgyal kings.
Its annual Hemis festival honours Guru Padmasambhava with masked cham dances in the courtyard.
Nearby Hemis National Park is the largest national park in India and known for the snow leopard.
Geography and key facts
- Near Leh, Ladakh
- Drukpa lineage monastery; rebuilt in the 17th century
- Hemis festival with masked cham dances
- Hemis National Park: India's largest; snow leopards
Why it matters for UPSC
Monastery–state and festival–region pairs are common art-and-culture questions; Hemis NP links to the snow leopard.
Note for UPSC
Ladakh.
Expect questions linking sites with events in the Buddha's life and later Buddhist history.
Asked in PYQs
No question in our Prelims bank names Hemis yet.
Key facts
- Type
- Buddhist site
- State / UT
- Ladakh
- Coordinates
- 33.912°N, 77.703°E
From the Map Explorer data; positions are for orientation.