Shanti Stupa is a Buddhist white-domed stupa (chorten) on a hilltop in Chandspa, Leh district, Ladakh, in the north Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. It was built in 1985 by the Nipponzan-Myōhōji order of Japanese Buddhism as part of the construction of a series of Peace Pagodas. The Shanti Stupa holds the relics of the Buddha at its base, enshrined by the 14th Dalai Lama himself. The stupa has become a tourist attraction not only due to its religious significance but also due to its location which provides panoramic views of the surrounding landscape.

Construction

The Shanti Stupa was built by the Nipponzan-Myōhōji order of Buddhism, which was established by Nichidatsu Fujii (Fujii Guruji) in 1914. The mission of Nichidatsu Fujii was to build Peace Pagodas and temples over the world and try to resurrect Buddhism back in India.

Construction of the Shanti Stupa began in April 1983 under the supervision of Kushok Bakula, a lama of Ladakh, a former statesman and former international diplomat of the Republic of India. The project was built with the help of Ladakhi Buddhists who offered voluntary labour, and Japanese Buddhists who considered India as the "sacred" birth place of the Buddha. Then prime minister of India, Indira Gandhi, sanctioned the construction of a vehicular road to the stupa. The Japanese government also provided some financial assistance for the construction of the Shanti Stupa. The 14th and current Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso inaugurated the Shanti Stupa in August 1985.

Description and significance

The Shanti Stupa features the photograph of the current Dalai Lama with the relics of the Buddha at its base. The stupa is built as a two-level structure. The first level features the central relief of Dharmacakra with deer on each side. A central golden Buddha image sits on a platform depicting the "turning wheel of Dharma" (Dharmacakra). The second level has reliefs depicting the "birth" of Buddha, the death of Buddha (mahanirvana) and Buddha "defeating the devils" while meditating. Both levels feature a series of smaller meditating Buddha reliefs.

The Shanti Stupa was built to promote world peace and prosperity and to commemorate 2500 years of Buddhism. It is considered a symbol of the ties between the people of Japan and Ladakh.

Tourist attraction

Since its inauguration, Shanti Stupa has become a popular tourist attraction. According to The Hindu it is the "most famous tourist attraction" around Leh, though its architectural style is different from the Ladakhi style. The Shanti Stupa overlooks the city of Leh, providing panoramic views of the city, the village of Changspa, Namgyal Tsemo in the distance and the surrounding mountains. Sunrise and sunset are considered to provide the best views from Shanti Stupa. The stupa is illuminated with lights at night. The stupa is open for tourists between 5:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m