Matho Monastery

Founded in 1410 by Lama Dugpa Dorje, it belongs to the Sakya Order. It is noted for its six-hundred-year-old thangkas and its Matho Nagrang Festival. ==Description==

Most of the buildings are rather dilapidated but there is a new assembly hall or du-khang which was built in 2005 and which has very colourful paintings and a Sakyamuni Buddha as main statue. There is a small chapel on the top story containing images of Sakya Pandita and other Sakya lamas. There is a 'museum' adjoining it with a number of very beautiful old thangkas, some of which are thought to have been brought from Tibet in the first half of the 15th century when the monastery was founded. Unfortunately, many of them are very worn. The masks and robes worn by the lamas in the annual dance festival may also be seen in the museum. ==The festival of the oracles==

The annual festival of the two Rongtsan oracles takes place around the Buddhist new year, usually in the first half of March. Two monk are chosen every three years to get ready as the potential receptacles. They purify themselves with months of fasting and meditation to make themselves suitable receptacles for receiving the oracles spirits. When possessed they are said to be able to perform many astounding feats such as cutting themselves with knives and walking around the ramparts of the top storey blindfolded with no fear of falling down the precipice below. While in this trance state they answer questions about the prospects for Matho and Ladakh for the coming year as well as personal questions put to them by individuals. However, if skeptical questions are put to the oracle to test him, he is said to react "with a frenzied display of anger." == See also==