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Key Gompa (Key Monastery), Himachal Pradesh
Key Gompa, belongs to the Gelugpa sect also called the Yellow Hat sect of Tibetan Buddhism. Key is among the three monasteries of the Gelugpa sect in Spiti valley, the other being Tabo and Drangtse Monastery. In 2000, the Kalachakra ceremony was held at the monastery in the presence of His Holiness, The Dalai Lama. Over 1500 lamas attended the ceremony.
The scenic landscape which forms the backdrop for Key Monastery is also a factor in a large number of tourists making a beeline for the remote monastery. Surrounded by snow-capped mountains and glaciers, the beauty of the valley is breathtaking. The route to Key Monastery is also beautiful.
The culture of Key, like the rest of Spiti, closely resembles that of Tibet. It is hardly surprising then that the whole of Spiti is known as Little Tibet. Chham (mask dance) by monks is very popular and an integral part of festivities. The themes of the dance emphasize the victory of good over evil.
Some of the scenes of the Bollywood movie Paap, starring John Abraham and Udita Goswami, were shot at Key Monastery.
History
Founded by Dromton, a student of Atisha in the 11th century, the Key Gompa was attacked several times in its long and fascinating history. In the 17th century, Mongols raided the monastery when the fifth Dalai Lama was in power. Later, in the 19th century, various armies looted the monastery thus causing great damage to the property.
It did not end here and the monastery suffered again in 1830 during the Ladakh and Kullu war. The devastating fire in the 1840s caused further damage to the structure followed by the attacks during the Sikh regiment in 1841. In the same year, the Dogra army during the reign of Ghulam Khan and Rahim Khan damaged the property.
The occurrence of a violent earthquake in 1975 yet again destroyed the monastery. The recurrent attacks and natural disasters resulted in the repair and restoration work of this historic monastery by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the State Public Works Department.
