Lamayuru Monastery, a popular monastery in Ladakh, is located in between Bodhkharbu and Kha-la-che, on a steep rock mountain. It lies at a distance of approximately 127 km to the west of Leh town. Lamayuru Monastery belongs to the Red-Hat sect of Buddhism and consists of a number of shrines. This monastery houses around 150 Buddhist monks and possesses a very rich and antique collection of thankas and magnificent wall paintings. As a monastic site, Lamayuru, properly called Yung-drung (`Swastika`) is believed to be the oldest in central Ladakh, and to have been a holy place of the Bonchos before the advent of Buddhism.

The oldest part of the structure of the Lamayuru monastery is a small temple, whose iconography places it squarely in the time of the Second Spreading. The main image is Vairocana, whose cult is `typical of Rin-chen-zang-po`s time, especially of the monasteries associated with him`. The other four Dhayani Buddhas occupy a subordinate position. The carved doorways, and the paintings, now much worn and defaced, are distinctly reminiscent of Alchi. As far as the murals can be made out, there is a mandala, and some fierce divinities in `yab- yum`. This small temple and shows no sign of being in use for worship.

The main du-khang is built around the opening to a cave in which, it is said, the sage Marpa rested and meditated. The cave mouth is in the right-hand wall, and the life-size images of the sage and his principal disciple Mila-Respa are visible inside. Lamayuru, unlike the other foundations of Rin-chen-zang-po`s time, was not taken over in the fifteenth century by the Ge-lugs-pa, but at some point passed into the hands of the Dri-gung-pa, a sub-sect of the Ka-gyu-pa `red-hat` school. The main image in the du-khang is of the Dri-gung-pa guru, Skyoba Jigsten Gonbo. In the inner shrine is a modern set of the twenty-one manifestations of Tara, in copper-gilt, made only a few years ago in Aligarh. To one side an enormous chorten (beautifully crafted wooden Tibetan stupa) behind glass, apparently carved and painted in wood, proves itself to be moulded in coloured butter. It is said to have been made in around 1975. Such pieces, commonly found in the gomapas of Ladakh, are living examples of an esoteric form of art. The du-khang also exhibits some old and worn thaigkas. An interesting characteristic of this monastery is that the inside walls are not painted, though the verandah has the usual Lords of the Quarters and Wheel of life.

A small temple on a higher level, besides its ancient butter sculpture, has images of Marpa and Mila-Respa, and three silver chorten. The largest of the silver chortens is said to have been made at Chiling about sixty years ago. The murals are in the usual conventional style, and represent mostly fierce divinities.