Phuktal Gompa, India

Phuktal Monastery is one of the most difficult and accessible structures in India. This isolated Buddhist monastery was founded in the 12th century and was built on the slope of the high stone rock. At first glance, it seems that the buildings can collapse at any time. In reality, the monastery has existed for more than 800 years. Today, there are about 70 monks. The monastery can only be reached by foot on the secret mountain path.

One of the main features of the architectural complex is the natural cave, which is situated above it, which is equally worth seeing and has a lot of secrets. Until the middle of the 19th century the monastery remained closed. In 1826 the well-known Orientalist from Hungary Sándor Kőrösi Csoma visited the monastery. The researcher has spent in the monastery for more than a year studying the language and customs of the monks. The Hungarian researcher is regarded as a 'discoverer' of the strange sight.

Although the monastery is nowadays open to the tourists, it has not lost the peculiarity. The travelers can stroll through the stone corridors of the old monastery, graze on the wall frescoes and visit the old libraries in the monastery. One has to take into account that the path to the monastery is quite complicated and starts several kilometers from the rock. Usually you need about two days to overcome the long road. During the hike you can visit some interesting Indian villages. Next - Predjamski Grad