Soma Gompa (Jokhang)

Soma Gompa, often called the Jokhang of Leh, is a Buddhist temple in the middle of Leh's Main Bazaar in Ladakh. Soma Gompa means new monastery, and the temple is dedicated to Jowo Rinpoche, the crowned image of the young Buddha that is the most revered statue in Tibetan Buddhism, named after the original in the Jokhang in Lhasa.

Unlike the great hilltop monasteries around Leh, Soma Gompa is a town temple that belongs to the local community. It is run by the Ladakh Buddhist Association and serves as the gathering place for the town's religious ceremonies, prayer meetings and festivals, including Buddha Purnima and the Dalai Lama's birthday on 6 July. Older Ladakhis come every morning to turn the prayer wheels and circle the temple. For visitors, Soma Gompa is a quiet break from the bustle of the market and a gentle first stop on an acclimatisation day, when the aim is to walk slowly and avoid strenuous climbs.

What to see

• The prayer hall with its gilded Jowo Rinpoche image
• Rows of prayer wheels around the courtyard walls
• Butter lamps and offerings made by local families
• The courtyard, busy with ceremonies on festival days
• Leh Palace rising on the ridge directly above

What to wear

Soma Gompa is an active temple, so cover shoulders and knees, remove shoes and hats before entering the prayer hall, and walk clockwise around the temple and prayer wheels. Leh's sun is strong and its air cool at 3,500 metres, so wear a hat and sunglasses outside and carry a light jacket. You will see older women in the goncha, the long woollen Ladakhi robe tied with a bright sash, and on festival days the turquoise-studded perak headdress.

Local food to try

The Main Bazaar around Soma Gompa has plenty of Tibetan and Ladakhi cafes. Try thukpa noodle soup, skyu (a hearty stew of thumb-pressed wheat pasta and vegetables), momos, khambir flatbread with apricot jam, and salty butter tea. Bakeries sell apricot pastries and Tibetan bread. Vegetarian meals are easy to find, and Muslim eateries near the Jama Masjid, at the top of the bazaar, serve halal meat and fresh naan.

Good to know

• Open all year; mornings are quietest and most atmospheric
• Open daily, roughly from morning to evening
• Free entry; donations welcome
• Allow 20 to 30 minutes
• In the Main Bazaar, about 5 km from Leh airport
• Ask before photographing people at prayer; no photos of ceremonies without consent

Nearby places

Soma Gompa sits in the Leh Main Bazaar, directly below Leh Palace, and the white dome of Shanti Stupa is about 3 km away across town.