His Holiness the Dalai Lama on Sunday laid the ceremonial foundation stone for the construction of a new Jokhang Temple in Leh, the joint capital of the Union Territory of Ladakh, in India’s far north. Speaking at the event, one of profound spiritual significance for the region, His Holiness expressed hope that the rebuilt temple would serve as a center for the study and debate of Buddhist philosophy, then blessed the site on which the temple is to be reconstructed. 

“Let this not be a place for only ritual prayers and idle chatter but a centre for deep study and debate on Buddhist philosophy, a wellspring of wisdom for generations,” the Dalai Lama said after the foundation stone ceremony. (The Hindu)

The planned temple will replace the original structure constructed in 1957, which has been irreparably damaged by floods and heavy rains. The undertaking is projected to take five years to complete. The occasion was attended by hundreds of senior Buddhist leaders, local officials, and community members.

The stone-laying ceremony included the unveiling of a commemorative plaque which read:

Laying the Foundation for Wisdom and Compassion
Reconstruction of the Chowkhang (Jokhang) Vihara, Leh, Ladakh (His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet)

The inscription is followed by the Dalai Lama’s full name, Jetsun Jampal Ngawang Lobsang Tenzin Gyatso, and dated 3 August 2025.

Ladakh Buddhist Association president Chering Dorjay Lakruk described the event as a historic moment for the region: “This is perhaps the greatest blessing we could receive. The whole of Ladakh is touched by auspicious winds today,” (The Hindu)

His Holiness arrived in Ladakh on 12 July for a month-long visit, and has been engaged in several public events, including inaugurating the KarGon Mega Summer Symposium in Zanskar, laying a foundation stone for the Zanskar Monlam Chorten, attending a long-life prayer ceremony, and giving public Dharma teachings.

“When I heard about the condition of the old Jokhang Temple, I thought it was a blessing in disguise,” the Dalai Lama observed in his address to the assembled dignitaries and well-wishers. “For example, Tibet was ruled for several centuries by the line of Dalai Lamas, but it was only during my lifetime that we faced such devastation that we had to come into exile in the free land of India. This has been a blessing in disguise for us inasmuch as we have come to live in the land where Buddhism originated and where lived Eight Indian Buddhist masters, such as Arya Nagarjuna, who were renowned as the ‘Six Ornaments and Two Sublime Ones’ . . .

“In the midst of the upheaval that took place in Tibet in 1959, I decided to flee Norbulingka and leave Lhasa. As I left, I thought about the Lhasa Jokhang Temple complex and the images inside it. When we reached the pass out of the valley, the man leading my horse asked me to turn and take a last look at Lhasa—and with that I left the city behind.

“Since I left Lhasa there has been a steady increase in people around the world taking interest in Buddhism, particularly in Europe and America. I have been diligent in my efforts to serve them. Due to my karma and prayers made in the past I have been quite successful in contributing to the revival and preservation of the Buddha’s teachings, and I will continue to serve the Buddhadharma for many years to come. . . .

“Having pulled down the old temple, I really appreciate your determination to rebuild the Jokhang here. But the mere reconstruction of the temple building is nothing exceptional. The crucial thing is that it provides others with the facilities to study the Buddha’s teaching just as I have been able to do since I was a child.

“When you have completed the temple, you should ensure that it becomes a center of learning, somewhere that people can study the logical and philosophical treatises, that will enable them to engage in dialectical debate, analyzing and investigating Buddhist philosophy. I hope you will do that and I pray that you will be successful in doing so. Thank you.” (His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet)

The original Jokhang in Lhasa stands in Barkhor Square in the middle of the ancient Tibetan capital, and at the centre of a network of temples and monasteries. Tibetan Buddhists generally view the Jokhang as the most sacred temple in Tibet. It houses countless irreplaceable cultural treasures, including the famous Jhowo statue of Shakyamuni Buddha, brought to Tibet in the seventh century by the Chinese consort of the Tibetan emperor Songtsen Gampo. The Jokhang also houses more than 3,000 images of buddhas, Buddhist deities, and historical figures, as well as treasures, manuscripts, and other artifacts, according to UNESCO.

The Jokhang was founded during the reign of Songtsen Gampo (r. c. 629–c. 649), the 33rd Tibetan king, who founded the Tibetan Empire (618–842) and is traditionally credited introducing Buddhism to the Tibetan people. The oldest section of the Jokhang was constructed in 652, although the temple was expanded and renovated several times over the subsequent 900 years—the most recent major work was ordered by the Fifth Dalai Lama (1617–1682).

The Jokhang in Leh houses a similar Jhowo statue of Shakyamuni Buddha as that found in the Jokhang in Lhasa, and is a major pilgrimage destination for Buddhists in Ladakh, where they come to seek refuge and circumambulate the seat of Jhowo Shakyamuni.

Traditionally, monastic and lay pilgrims would undertake arduous travel through the expanses of the Tibetan wilderness on foot for months to reach Lhasa. After this sacred sanctum fell under Chinese occupation, the people of Ladakh decided to install a statue of Jhowo Shakyamuni in Leh after building a replica of Lhasa’s Jokhang Temple.

Devotees believe that pilgrimage to this Jokhang offers the same blessings and merits as the Jokhang in Lhasa. The copper statue of Jhowo Shakyamuni housed within was made in Lhasa and transported to Ladakh, where reassembly and gilding were completed in 1962. The statue was formally consecrated on the 15th day of the fourth month of the Tibetan lunar calendar of that year, marking Shakyamuni Buddha’s  birth, enlightenment, and Mahaparinirvana.

See more

Chowkhang Vihara (Ladakh Buddhist Association)
Laying the Foundation Stone for the New Jokhang in Leh and Blessing the Dharma Centre at Choglamsar (His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet)
Dalai Lama lays foundation stone of new Chowkhang Vihara monastery in Ladakh (The Hindu)

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