Meditate at the caves of Tabo

There is a sense of calmness at the caves of Tabo where monks used to practise meditation. The meditation caves have been dug into the hillside of a towering mountain near Tabo, also the place with the oldest monastery in India (established 996 AD). The caves overlook the verdant valley through which the Spiti River flows. It is a serene sight, an oasis of peace in an otherwise rugged and barren landscape. Several of the caves appear to have been gouged out from the granite rocks. The Tabo monastery also happens to be Dalai Lama’s favourite monastery.
It is widely believed that these caves served as a hermitage for the Buddhist monks who once meditated here many hundreds of years ago. The entrance to the caves is narrow and that opens to other smaller rooms or recesses. The roof of the cave has a wide hole that opens up to the sky.

It seems like a rigid and a spartan environment for the seekers of nirvana. Looking at the caves, the first intriguing question that comes to mind is ‘Why were the caves built in this remote and desolate region? Why would anybody come to this harsh environment to meditate? Or maybe it was just to be away from the temptations of material life in quest of transcendent experience?’