India - Himachal Pradesh - Kee Monastery in Spiti (2)

KEE MONASTERY, Spiti, India.

One of the three postcards sent by stranger from the highest Post Office in the world, in Hikkim in Himachal Pradesh. Unfortunetely the postcard is not stamped and cancelled. The three postcards were sent in an envelope.

India - Himachal Pradesh - Kee Monastery in Spiti (1)

KEE MONASTERY, Spiti.

One of the three postcards sent by stranger from the highest Post Office in the world, in Hikkim in Himachal Pradesh. Unfortunetely the postcard is not stamped and cancelled. The three postcards were sent in an envelope.

Kye Gompa (Tibetan: དཀྱིལ་དགོན་, Wylie: dkyil dgon; also spelled Kyi, Ki, Key, or Kee; pronounced like the English word key) is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery of the Gelugpa sect located on top of a hill at an altitude of 4,166 metres (13,668 ft) above sea level, close to the Spiti River, in the Spiti Valley of Himachal Pradesh, Lahaul and Spiti district, India.

It is the largest monastery of the Spiti Valley and a religious training centre for lamas. It reportedly had 100 monks in 1855.

The monastery is dedicated to Lochen Tulku, the 24th reincarnation of the great translator Lotsawa Rinchen Zangpo.

It is about 12 km (7.5 mi) north of Kaza and 210 km (130 mi) from Manali by road (read more).

India - Himachal Pradesh - Tabo Monastery in Spiti

TABO MONASTERY, Spiti.

One of the three postcards sent by stranger from the highest Post Office in the world, in Hikkim in Himachal Pradesh. Unfortunetely the postcard is not stamped and cancelled. The three postcards were sent in an envelope.

Tabo Monastery (or Tabo Chos-Khor Monastery) is located in the Tabo village of Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh, northern India. It was founded in 996 CE in the Tibetan year of the Fire Ape by the Tibetan Buddhist lotsawa (translator) Rinchen Zangpo (Mahauru Ramabhadra), on behalf of the king of western Himalayan Kingdom of Guge, Yeshe-Ö. Tabo is noted for being the oldest continuously operating Buddhist enclave in both India and the Himalayas. A large number of frescoes displayed on its walls depict tales from the Buddhist pantheon. There are many priceless collections of thankas (scroll paintings), manuscripts, well-preserved statues, frescos and extensive murals which cover almost every wall. The monastery is in need of refurbishing as the wooden structures are aging and the thanka scroll paintings are fading. After the earthquake of 1975, the monastery was rebuilt, and in 1983 a new Du-kang or Assembly Hall was constructed. It is here that the 14th Dalai Lama held the Kalachakra ceremonies in 1983 and 1996. The monastery is protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) as a national historic treasure of India (read more).

uncancelled stamps on the envelope

India - Great Himalayan National Park Conservation Area

Great Himalayan National Park in the Kullu region of Himachal Pradesh, is characterized by high alpine peaks, alpine meadows and riverine forests. The 90,540 ha property includes the upper mountain glacial and snow-melt water source origins of several rivers, and the catchments of water supplies that are vital to millions of downstream users. It is part of the Himalaya biodiversity hotspot and includes 25 forest types along with a rich assemblage of fauna species, several of which are threatened. This gives the site outstanding significance for biodiversity conservation (read further).

Sent by Begum, a Postcrosser from India.