US Ambassador Sergio Gor Visits Thiksey Monastery

LEH: United States Ambassador to India Sergio Gor on Friday visited the historic Thiksey Monastery, as his maiden visit to Ladakh continued with a focus on the region’s rich Buddhist heritage and cultural traditions.

Gor visited the centuries-old monastery at Thiksey, around 19 km from Leh, and explored its historic and religious significance. The monastery, founded in 1433, is among the most prominent monastic complexes in central Ladakh and is renowned for its ancient images, stupas, scriptures, murals and the imposing 15-metre-high Maitreya Buddha statue.

The visit gave the US envoy an opportunity to experience one of Ladakh’s most important centres of Buddhist learning and cultural heritage. Thiksey Monastery is also noted for its distinctive architecture, often compared with Tibet’s Potala Palace, and its panoramic setting overlooking the Indus Valley.

Gor’s Friday programme had generated considerable interest over reports of a possible meeting with His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, who is currently in Ladakh. However, the anticipated engagement did not materialise.

Reports said the proposed meeting was affected by a last-minute change in the ambassador’s programme. The cancellation came amid widespread speculation in Leh over a possible interaction between the US envoy and the Tibetan spiritual leader.

The Thiksey visit consequently emerged as the key publicly reported engagement of Gor’s second day in Ladakh, placing the emphasis of his programme on the region’s cultural and spiritual heritage.

Gor’s visit to Thiksey comes during a period when Ladakh is hosting the Dalai Lama for his annual stay, adding particular interest to the ambassador’s cultural engagements in the region. On Thursday, the Dalai Lama had granted an audience at Shewatsel Phodrang to more than 430 devotees and visitors.

The US ambassador’s engagement at Thiksey also highlights the growing international interest in Ladakh not only as a strategically important Himalayan region but also as a destination of distinctive Buddhist culture, heritage and tourism.