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{{short description|Monastery in Spiti, Himachal Pradesh, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2017}}
{{Infobox Tibetan Buddhist monastery
|name = Kye Monastery
|image =1000 Year loop.jpg
|alt =
|caption = Kye Gompa
|pushpin_map = India Himachal Pradesh
|coordinates = {{coord|32|17|52|N|78|00|43|E|type:landmark_region:IN-HP|display=inline,title}}
|map_caption = Location within Himachal Pradesh
|location_country = [[India]]
|location= [[Spiti Valley]], [[Himachal Pradesh]], [[Lahaul and Spiti district]], [[India]]
|founded_by = [[Dromtön]]
|founded = 11th century
|sect = [[Gelug]]
|lineage=
|dedicated_to =
|head_lama =
|no._of_monks =
|architecture =
|footnotes =
}}
{{Tibetan Buddhism}}
[[File:Key monastery kitchen, Spiti, India. 2004.jpg|thumb|300px|Key monastery kitchen, Spiti, India. 2004]]
[[File:Kachen Dugyal Memorial Old Aged - Handicapped Society, Spiti Monastery, 2004.jpg|thumb|300px|Kachen Dugyal Memorial Old Aged - Handicapped Society, Spiti Monastery, 2004]]
'''Kye Gompa''' (also spelled '''Ki''', '''Key''' or '''Kee''' - pronounced like English ''key'') is a [[Tibetan Buddhist]] monastery of the [[Gelugpa]] sect located on top of a hill at an altitude of {{Convert|4166|m|ft|0}} above [[sea level]], close to the [[Spiti River]], in the [[Spiti Valley]] of [[Himachal Pradesh]], [[Lahaul and Spiti district]], [[India]].<ref>Sarina Singh, et al. (2007), p. 343.</ref>

It is the largest monastery of the Spiti Valley and a religious training centre for [[lama]]s. It reportedly had 100 monks in 1855.<ref>Handa (1987), p. 131.</ref><ref>[http://www.himachalworld.com/religious-tourism/monasteries-in-himachal.html Monasteries in Himachal Pradesh]. HimachalWorld.com.</ref>

It is about 12 km north of Kaza and 210 km from Manali by road.<ref>The Beautiful key Monastery, India. https://www.amusingplanet.com/2012/12/the-beautiful-key-monastery-india.html</ref>

==History==

Kye Gompa is said to have been founded by [[Dromtön]] (Brom-ston, 1008-1064 CE), a pupil of the famous teacher, [[Atisha]], in the 11th century. This may, however, refer to a now destroyed [[Kadampa]] monastery at the nearby village of Rangrik, which was probably destroyed in the 14th century when the [[Sakya (Tibetan Buddhist school)|Sakya]] sect rose to power with [[Mongol]] assistance.<ref>Francke (1914), pp. 45-47</ref><ref>Handa (1987), pp. 97, 99.</ref>

Kye was attacked again by the Mongols during the 17th century, during the reign of the [[Fifth Dalai Lama]], and became a [[Gelugpa]] establishment. In 1830, it was sacked again during the wars between [[Ladakh]] and [[Kullu|Kulu]]. In 1841, it was severely damaged by the [[Dogra]] army under Ghulam Khan and Rahim Khan. Later that same year, it suffered more damage from a [[Sikhs]]. In the 1840s, it was ravaged by fire and, in 1975, a violent [[earthquake]] caused further damage which was repaired with the help of the [[Archaeological Survey of India]] and the State Public Works Department.<ref name="Handa 1987, pp. 100-101">Handa (1987), pp. 100-101.</ref>

The walls of the monastery are covered with paintings and [[mural]]s, an example of the 14th century monastic architecture, which developed as the result of [[China|Chinese]] influence.{{Citation needed|reason=Source needed for Chinese influence on the monastic architecture|date=March 2021}}

Kye monastery has a collection of ancient murals and books, including [[Gautama Buddha|Buddha]] images.<ref name="surfindia">[http://www.surfindia.com/travel/himachal-pradesh/kye-monastery.html SurfIndia.com - Kye monastery] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090804153919/http://www.surfindia.com/travel/himachal-pradesh/kye-monastery.html |date=4 August 2009 }}</ref>

There are three floors, the first one is mainly underground and used for storage. One room, called the [[Tangyur]] is richly painted with murals. The ground floor has the beautifully decorated Assembly Hall and cells for many monks.<ref name="Handa 1987, pp. 100-101"/>

Kye Gompa now belongs to the Gelugpa sect, along with [[Tabo Monastery]] and [[Dhankar Gompa]], one of three in Spiti.

:The monastery of Kee, for instance, accommodates nearly 250 monks, who reside within the sacred walls throughout the year. Some monks go to South Indian Monasteries during winters, the rest of them stay inside the monastery walls. These monasteries have their regular heads; these heads are the reincarnations of Guru Rinpoche. The current head of Kee Monastery is from Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh. He is 19th birth of Guru Rinpoche.
A celebration of its millennium was conducted in 2000 in the presence of the [[Dalai Lama]].<ref name="surfindia"/> A new Prayer Hall was inaugurated on 3 August 2000 by the [[Fourteenth Dalai Lama]].
It was presented through a tableau in the 69th Republic Day celebration held at Delhi.

In recent times the monastery has also hosted the "Kachen Dugyal Memorial Old Aged - Handicapped Society" which provide accommodation for a number of elderly and handicapped people.

== Gallery ==
<gallery mode=packed>
File:Kye Gompa-04-weit weg-gje.jpg|From distance
File:Kye Gompa-10-Klosterburg-gje.jpg|Close-up
File:Kye Gompa-12-Dorf-gje.jpg|Kye village
File:Kye Gompa-22-Flusstal-gje.jpg|View of Spiti valley
File:Kye Gompa-24-Lakhang-gje.jpg|Monastery courtyard
File:Kye Gompa-34-Symbol-gje.jpg|Spiritual signs
File:Kee monastery Spiti Valley (edited).jpg|Covered in snow in winter
File:Dedication plaque for New Prayer Hall 2000 Key Gompa.jpg|Dedication plaque
File:Kee Monastery Spiti Valley.jpg|alt=Panoramic view of Key Monastery|A panoramic view of Key Monastery within Spiti Valley around spring
</gallery>

==See also==
*[[List of highest towns by country]]

==Footnotes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
*Handa, O. C. (1987). ''Buddhist Monasteries in Himachal Pradesh''. Indus Publishing Company, New Delhi. {{ISBN|81-85182-03-5}}.
*Harcourt, A. F. P. (1871). ''On the Himalayan Valleys:— Kooloo, Lahoul, and Spiti.'' Proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society of London, Vol. 15, No. 5, 336–343.
* Kapadia, Harish. (1999). [https://books.google.com/books?id=lOzHDG7NfooC&pg=PA209 ''Spiti: Adventures in the Trans-Himalaya'']. 2nd Edition. Indus Publishing Company, New Delhi. {{ISBN|81-7387-093-4}}.
* Janet Rizvi. (1996). ''Ladakh: Crossroads of High Asia''. Second Edition. Oxford University Press, Delhi. {{ISBN|0-19-564546-4}}.
* Cunningham, Alexander. (1854). ''LADĀK: Physical, Statistical, and Historical with Notices of the Surrounding Countries''. London. Reprint: Sagar Publications (1977).
*Francke, A. H. (1977). ''A History of Ladakh''. (Originally published as, ''A History of Western Tibet'', (1907). 1977 Edition with critical introduction and annotations by S. S. Gergan & F. M. Hassnain. Sterling Publishers, New Delhi.
*Francke, A. H. (1914). ''Antiquities of Indian Tibet''. Two Volumes. Calcutta. 1972 reprint: S. Chand, New Delhi.
*Sarina Singh, et al. ''India''. (2007). 12th Edition. Lonely Planet. {{ISBN|978-1-74104-308-2}}.

==External links==
{{commons category}}
{{wikivoyage|Key Monastery}}
*[http://livepano.ru/flash/pano/ki_road_shdwbx.html 360-degrees panoramic images]

{{Buddhist monasteries in Himachal Pradesh}}

[[Category:Buddhism in Lahaul and Spiti district]]
[[Category:Buddhist monasteries in Himachal Pradesh]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Lahaul and Spiti district]]
[[Category:Gelug monasteries and temples]]

Key Monastery - Revision history

UpdateBot at 10:14, 12 June 2022