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Kardang Monastery is situated in:
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Answer: Option C — Himachal Pradesh
Detailed Solution
Kardang Monastery is located in the Lahaul valley of the Lahaul and Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh, about 8 km from Keylong, the district headquarters.
About Kardang Monastery:
- It stands at a height of about 3,500 metres, on the left bank of the Bhaga river, at the foot of a mountain, facing Keylong across the river.
- It is believed to have been founded in the 12th century, but the present building was largely reconstructed in 1912 by Lama Norbu Rinpoche.
- It is the largest and one of the most important monasteries in the Lahaul valley.
- It belongs to the "Drukpa Kagyu" lineage of Tibetan Buddhism.
- It is unusual because both monks and nuns (lamas and "chomos") live here; married lamas are also part of the community, as in the Drukpa tradition.
- It has a large library of Buddhist texts, including the "Kangyur" and "Tengyur", and a large prayer drum ("mani wheel").
- It has old murals, thangkas (religious paintings), musical instruments and weapons.
About Lahaul and Spiti:
- It is the largest district of Himachal Pradesh by area, and one of the least densely populated districts of India.
- It is a cold desert region.
The "Atal Tunnel" (9.02 km) under the Rohtang Pass, opened in October 2020, connects Manali to the Lahaul valley throughout the year. It is the world's longest highway tunnel above 10,000 feet.
Other monasteries of Himachal Pradesh:
- Key (Kee) Monastery (Spiti): the largest monastery of Spiti; Gelugpa sect.
- Tabo Monastery (Spiti): founded in 996 CE by Rinchen Zangpo; called the "Ajanta of the Himalayas" for its murals.
- Dhankar Monastery (Spiti).
- Shashur and Guru Ghantal monasteries (Lahaul).
- Namgyal Monastery (McLeodganj, Dharamshala): the personal monastery of the Dalai Lama.
Monasteries in other states:
- Ladakh: Hemis, Thiksey, Alchi, Diskit and Lamayuru.
- Sikkim: Rumtek, Pemayangtse and Enchey.
- Arunachal Pradesh: Tawang (the largest monastery in India).
Why not the other options?
- ✗Sikkim has monasteries such as Rumtek and Pemayangtse.
- ✗Ladakh has monasteries such as Hemis and Thiksey.
- ✗Arunachal Pradesh has the Tawang Monastery.
Quick tip
Remember: Kardang Monastery = Lahaul, Himachal Pradesh (near Keylong; Drukpa Kagyu; monks and nuns); Tabo = "Ajanta of the Himalayas" (996 CE); Key = Spiti; Atal Tunnel = 2020; Tawang = largest in India.
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This topic covers India's important monuments, temples, mosques, churches, gurudwaras and pilgrimage sites, who built them and when, their architectural styles, and India's UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Questions ask who built a monument, where it is located, or which dynasty or style it belongs to. For example, the Qutub Minar was begun by Qutbuddin Aibak, and the Sun Temple at Konark was built by the Eastern Ganga king Narasimhadeva I. Revise the UNESCO World Heritage Sites as a list, noting the most recent additions. Practise the monuments and religious places questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.