An 11th century monastery, Spituk Gompa or Pethup Gompa is known for its giant Kali statue that is revealed on the annual festival of Gustor. Spituk is at a short distance away from Leh and is one of the top places to see.
The monastery now comes under the Tsongkhapa order (Gelug or Yellow Hat) of Tibetan Buddhism and is home to 100 monks. On Spituk’s premises, there’s also a museum that has a wide collection of ancient masks, antique arms, other icons and numerous thangkas (Buddhist paintings) making it an important attraction here.
