TABO CAVES

HIMACHAL PRADESH
INTRODUCTION
Tabo is a small town in the Lahaul and Spiti district on the banks of the Spiti
River in Himachal Pradesh, India. The town lies on the road between Rekong
Peoand Kaza , the sub-divisional headquarters of Spiti. The town surrounds a
Buddhist monastery which, according to legend, is said to be over a thousand
years old. Tabo Monastery's spiritual head is Tsenshap Serkong Rinpoche.
• Artificially excavated for monks.
• Initially used as an assembly hall.
• Situated right above the village
• Source of attraction for tourists.
• Used by the monks to meditate.
• Flag on the entrance depicts the same.

• Used for tourism purposes.

• Generally on the foothills of
• Trans Himalayan Mountains.
• Directly overlooks the Spiti Village

In dilapidated condition.
Used as toilets by
commoners.
Located near the villages.
DESIGN
Caves are fairly well developed.
Walls and floor of the caves are smooth.
Narrow entrance that lead to other smaller rooms or recesses.
The roof of these caves has a wide hole that opens up to the sky and serves as a vent
when fires were burnt inside the caves to keep warm in brutal cold.
The village is situated at an altitude of 3,280 metres. Climate in
Tabo is very unpredictable as it ranges from cloudy to sunny and
from snow to heavy snowfall. Summers are short from May to
August and winters are longer from mid-September to April.
Winter temperatures in Tabo can range from −15 °C in the day to
−45 °C overnight. In summers, temperature ranges from −5 °C at
night to 20 °C in daytime.

Below the caves, at the base of the mountain is

a monastery. This ancient monastery has a
large number of frescoes displayed on its walls
from the Buddhist pantheon, in complex and
intricate strokes. It was built by a Tibetan king
who had renounced his throne to become a
monk.