The fascinating gompas of Buddhist architecture

Discover the unique architecture and sustainability of Tibetan Buddhist gompas in India's diverse religious landscape.

You’ve probably heard of temples, churches, mosques and gurudwaras ... India’s diverse religious structures have their own unique architecture. Have you heard of gompas? These Tibetian Buddhist structures are dotted across regions like Bhutan, Ladakh and Sikkim, where they emerge from the hills with austere red-and-white facades and elegant proportions.

A gompa is a sacred site associated with Tibetan Buddhism that has living quarters for monks (a monastery) as well as prayer shrines. Buddhist architecture has a long history in India, with the cave shrines at Karle in Maharashtra believed to date back to as long ago as 2nd Century BCE. The gompas in the Himalayan region came a few centuries later, and are more influenced by Tibetan architecture.

Located on high altitudes as per Buddhist principles of geometry, these gompas have linear, white walls, complemented by carved and painted wooden roofs, doors and windows. Their exteriors are often simple, but the interiors explode into vibrant colours with richly painted murals depicting scenes from Buddha’s life, golden statues of deities, and thangkas or paintings on textiles. The quiet prayer halls, surrounding mountains, prayer wheels and flickering butter lamps add to the meditative effect.

The Hemis Gompa in Ladakh is a well-known 17th Century monastery located 11,500 feet above sea level. It is one of the richest gompas with intricate paintings and thangkas. Apart from the main shrine, the monasteries have assembly halls and courtyards, where monks gather for prayers, rituals, teaching, and festivals.

Besides the aesthetics of these structures, what makes them interesting is also their sustainability and response to climate. Gompas used locally available materials like rammed earth and wood, are economical, and also resistant to earthquakes and floods. The buildings are clustered together, and the thick earth walls keep out the cold in the freezing winters. The walls are reinforced with straw, animal hair and locally quarried stone. Small windows let in light, keeping the interiors warm. The flat roofs are a response to Ladakh’s relatively dry climate, and the roofs become a usable spaces to catch the sun when it’s out. The walls are polished with lime plaster, making them shine white and pristine.

The deep understanding of local environment has made these structures last centuries. When a modern concrete and glass building is razed, it causes a lot of construction waste that cannot be re-used. With their earth-based construction, these monasteries will eventually become one with the hills if ever broken down.

While the Himalayan region has several impressive monasteries, down south at Byalkuppe in Coorg is Namdroling Monastery. Built in 1963, it is not as ancient as the others, but is home to one of the largest Tibetan settlements in India, second only to Dharamshala.