Treasures from the Neighbouring kingdoms: A Preliminary Report on Portable Buddhist Statues in Ladakhi Monasteries

Before its Islamization in the 13th century, Kashmir was a point of reference for Ladakhi religious– philosophical knowledge, aesthetics, and artistic tradition. After Islamization, the production of Hindu and Buddhist images was gradually abandoned. Even today, every Buddhist monastery in Ladakh owns a collection of portable sculptures in different materials—from metal to wood; from clay to stone and ivory. Many Kashmiri images—along with large and small metal sculptures of Nepalese (Newar) and Tibetan origin—are preserved in the monasteries, and in shrines, chapels and private family altars. The religious images found in Ladakh today record a past characterized by cultural exchange, long journeys, and devotion to teachers of the Dharma. These images are important for various reasons: some of them are valuable examples of artistic styles such as those of Kashmir or northern India; they represent relatively rare testimonies of a type of Buddhist art in India that has been lost since the 13th century. Others provide historical evidence relating to Buddhist cults and their practice, or to the devotion of followers to well-known masters. In order to maintain this artistic patrimony, several monasteries have recently decided to put their sacred treasures on display through the opening of new monastic museums.