Rizong (or Rhizong) gompa, Gelugpa or Yellow Hat Buddhist monastery is also called the Yuma Changchubling in
Ladakh,
India. It is situated at the top of a rocky side valley on the north side of the Indus, to the west of
Alchi on the way to Lamayuru. It was established in 1831 by Lama Tsultim Nima under the Gelukpa order, at Ri-rdzong. There are 40 monks in the monastery.The monastery is also called “the paradise for meditation” and is noted for its extremely strict rules and standards. The nunnery, located about 2 km from the monastery, is called the “Jelichun Nunnery” or Chulichan (Chomoling), where, at present, 20 nuns reside.
It is also believed that long ago Guru Padmasambhava meditated in the caves around Rizong years before the monasteries were built. It is also inferred that in the small caves in the vicinity, Lamas used to meditate for years in isolation from the rest of the villages. They subsisted on one meal a day, which was provided to them by local people through a 1 foot (0.30 m) square window opening in the cave.
Foundation
Lama Tsultim Nima selected a site to build a large monastery, away from the villages, at a place known as Ri-rdzong, since the place had adequate water supply and fuel availability. He launched on a donation campaign to build the monastery for which the villagers also provided voluntary labour during construction. The Monastery was built in 1831 along with many shrines within it. Basically, the monastery has three large chambers. In two of these chambers idols of Buddha have been consecrated. The third chamber houses a stupa.
Structure And Layout
The following are the details of the structures and idols of deities deified in the monastery's various chambers.
Relic Shrine
A relic shrine, known as Sku-Gdung in local language, that enshrines the old relics of the founder of the monastery is at the centre. It is surrounded by several frescoes of Dharma-raja and other deities.
Assembly Hall
The assembly hall, with the statue of Shakymuni Buddha in the middle, is flanked to its right by idols of Tse-dpag-med, rje-Rin po-che, and Sras Rin Poche Esha Rab-rgyes and Lord Yamakantaka and other deities. To the left of the main deity, idols of Lord Avalokiteshvara and Mahakala are defied. The main hall also has thankhas or wall paintings of Dlama-mchod-pa and Lam-rims.
Sacred Chamber
In the sacred Chamber on the west, the statues of Mahakala (protectress deity of the monastery), statue of the founder of the monastery, statue of the second incarnate, Gnas-Bstan Tsual-Khrims Dorji and a Stupa are located. Each row in this chamber has the idols of the two head lamas.
Thin-Chen Shrine
n the Thin-Chen shrine, frescoes of Shakyamuni Buddha’s life history are depicted; the idols deified are the Golden Chengchub stupa, Rjo-wo-Rin-Po-cho, silver Chengchub stupa, Arya Avalokiteshwara, a sitting image of Maitreya Buddha, and a set of bka-gyhr.
Other Structures
The chamber on the east has statues of rje-tzone-khapa, mkhas-drub-rje and rgyal-tsabrje. Their writings, in thirty volumes, are also kept there.The Mandala shrine is the roof over the assembly hall meant for Mandala of Lord Yamakantaka and btra-shis-gyhi-skyong. The four directions of the mandala display religious statues.
Julichen Nunnery
Julichen nunnery is subordinate to the main monastery. It sustains the needs of the monastery. The 26 nuns who reside here are taken care by the Governing Body of the main Monastery. The nuns fully participate in the economic activity of the monastery and have to work whole day to fully support the economic enterprises of the monastery. It is said that the young nuns who are more educated and candid took to religious curriculum of meditation and Tibetan philosophy, while the older nuns toiled on the fields in the furtherance of the economic activity of the monastery. The nuns are also trained in spinning, oil extraction from apricot nuts and milking cows.
Visitor Information
The monastery is located at a distance of about 73 kilometres (45 mi) from the town of
Leh. Leh is well connected by road and air links with the rest of the country.
