Phugtal
monastery is like a honeycomb, cut into a rock under a gignantic grotto and
has more than 70 Monks. The library three large and one small prayer room
etc and the grave of Gangsem Sherap Sampo who founded Phuktal. In the cave
over the monastery there is a hollow in rock the water level of which never
reduces even after taking out any amount of water from there. Water is said
to have healing powers. There is also a stone tablet left by Alexander Cosmo
de Koros an Hugaraian who explore Tibet and lived in this monastery in
1826-27.
Phugthal is accessible from the Padum-Manali trekking route through a 7 km
long trail that branches off from the Purney Bridge on the main trail. This
unique monastic establishment is inhabited by a resident community of about
70 monks.
