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Spiti Spiti rose to prominence in 1996 as the Tabo Monasterycelebrated its thousandth birthday. This event was well-publicized by the Indian government. People from differentparts of India and other parts of the world visited the regionto witness this historical occasion.
Tabo was built by the great translator Rinchen Tsangpo, whocame to the neighboring region of Ladakh from Tibet. He is oneof the most respected figures in Ladakh, Spiti and Tibet. He isfamous for his translation of the words of the Sakyamuni Buddhafrom the Sanskrit and Pali canons into Tibetan. In fact it iscertain that many works long since lost in the originalSanskrit are well preserved in the Tibetan translations done byRinchen Tsangpo.
Tabo doesn't crown a lofty pinnacle in the Himalayas, ratherits mud plastered buildings almost merge into the valley floor.Inside the monastery, there is a different atmosphere. In onedark hall, life-size stucco figurines, mounted some 6 ft offthe floor, leer at you out of the gloom. These figures give thevisitor an uncanny feeling -- a feeling that is enhanced by theperfect detailing of these gods and demons of the Tibetanpantheon. Some of the figures are clothed in fine fabrics, nowdecaying with the passage of time. Elsewhere are numerousstatues of varying sizes, some huge, and entire spaces linedwith exquisite miniature panels depicting, among others, thethousand Buddhas. | |||||||
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