Saspol Caves
{{short description|Painted cave temples}}
{{refimprove|date=June 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2018}}
{{Infobox Tibetan Buddhist monastery
|map_type = India Ladakh
|name = Saspol Caves
|image =SAS16 ext 04 SM1074 gen.jpg
|alt =
|caption =Saspol Caves
|coordinates = {{coord|34|15||N|77|9||E|type:landmark_region:IN-JK|display=inline,title}}
|map_caption = Location in Leh District of Ladakh
|map_size = 250
|location=Saspol Caves, Leh District, Ladakh, India
|date_renovated =
}}
Saspol Caves ({{aka}} Gon-Nila-Phuk Cave Temples) are situated in the hills behind Saspol, Ladakh, India, which is about 76 km from the city centre of Leh. Paintings exist in five caves, two of them extensively damaged. One of the painted caves, that have been given a coat of lime wash and red paint in the exterior is the most visited and is considered as the main cave. The paintings of Anuttarayoga Tantra (also known as Yoganiruttaratantra) in the main cave are very rare for the period of execution. These caves are under the administration of Likir Monastery.
Dating the era
Very few early painted cave temples exist in Ladakh and these paintings date to the late 14th/15th century CE.[https://www.academia.edu/9619123/The_paintings_of_the_caves_of_Sa-spo-la_in_Ladakh_proof_of_the_development_of_the_religious_order_of_the_dGe-lugs_in_Indian_Tibet_during_the_15th_century/ Bellini, Chiara. 2014. “The Paintings of the Caves of Sa Spo La in Ladakh: Proof of the Development of the Religious Order of the DGe-Lugs in Indian Tibet during the 15th Century.” In From Mediterranean to Himalaya - A Festschrift to Commemorate the 120th Birthday of the Italian Tibetologist Giuseppe Tucci, edited by Dramdul and Francesco Sferra, 315–46, p.322]
Preservation status
The caves, also known as Gon-Nila-Phuk Cave temples, are in danger of total collapse and were therefore listed in 2016 World Monuments Watch.{{cite web |title=Gon-Nila-Phuk Cave Temples and Fort |url=https://www.wmf.org/project/gon-nila-phuk-cave-temples-and-fort |website=wmf.org |accessdate=1 August 2019}} Rammed earth fortifications can be seen on top of the hill near the caves.
Conservation
Art and architectural conservation projects were carried out by the INTACH Ladakh Chapter in 2015 and 2016 in collaboration with [https://www.facebook.com/acsnoida/ M/s Art Conservation Solutions]. The project was funded in 2015 by the Prince Claus Fund and in 2016 and 2018 by the World Monuments Fund.{{Cite web|url=https://issuu.com/princeclausfund/docs/2015_prince_claus_fund_annual_repor/78|title=Prince Claus Fund 2015 Annual Report|website=Issuu|language=en|access-date=2019-12-24}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.wmf.org/project/gon-nila-phuk-cave-temples-and-fort|title=Gon-Nila-Phuk Cave Temples and Fort|website=World Monuments Fund|language=en|access-date=2019-12-24}}
Gallery
File:Ushnishavijaya Saspol.jpg|Ushnishavijaya
File:Manjushri and Maitreya.jpg|Manjushri and Maitreya
File:Amitabha Sukhavati.jpg|Amitabha in Sukhavati
File:Wall Painting in Saspol cave DSCN7057 5.jpg
File:Wall Painting in Saspol cave DSCN7083 1.jpg|Hevajra
File:Wall paintings of Saspol cave 20180216 113556 08.jpg|Avalokiteshwara painting and Manjushri & Maitreya painting
See also
; Tourism infrastructure
- Tourism in Ladakh
- Geography of Ladakh
- India-China Border Roads
- List of districts of Ladakh
- Siachen Base Camp (India)
; Borders
- Actual Ground Position Line (AGPL), India-Pakistan border across Siachen region
- Line of Actual Control (LAC), India-China border across Ladakh
- Line of Control (LoC), India-Pakistan border across Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir
; Conflicts
References
External links
- [https://www.wmf.org/blog/painted-caves-saspol The Painted Caves of Saspol] February 7, 2017, World Monuments Fund
- [http://www.cpreecenvis.nic.in/Database/SaspolCaves_2806.aspx Saspol Caves] C.P.R. Environmental Education Centre, Chennai, Ministry of Environment and Forests& Climate Change, Govt of India
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