Maitreya Buddha Temple, Thiksay Monastery, Leh Ladakh, Kashmir, India Royalty-Free Stock Photo

Steps on the right side in the main courtyard at Thiksay Monastery leads to the new temple that houses a huge statue of Buddha. The statue was built at the behest of His Highness, the Holy Dalai Lama, when he visited the monastery in 1980. The staue, 15 m tall, is the largest Buddha figure in the Ladakh and took around four years to build. Local craftsmen used clay and gold paint to make this image of Maitreya Buddha or the Future Buddha.