Tirtha Atlas

The sacred geography of the Indic world — every site mapped, dated, storied, and cited.

3031 sites15 countries4 traditions30 centuries
Ancient · Buddhist · India

Sani Monastery

Sani, Zanskar, Ladakh · 33.5053°, 76.8103°

PadmasambhavaKushan—
Sacred since
100 CE
first attestation / structure
Standing structure
traditionally 2nd c. (Kushan)
Kushan

History & significance

A Drukpa Kagyu monastery in the Zanskar valley of Ladakh, a few kilometres from Padum, whose foundation is traditionally carried back to the Kushan emperor Kanishka. It is unusual among Zanskar gompas in standing on flat ground rather than a crag, and encloses the ancient Kanika stupa.

Sthala katha — the traditional account

What follows is the temple’s own traditional account, transmitted through liturgy and local memory. It is recorded here as tradition, not as attested history.

Padmasambhava is said to have spent five years in a small chapel at the site, and the monastery is also linked in tradition to the yogi Naropa and to the epic king Gesar.

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Sources

coordinates: wikipedia-2026-08-27 · sources retrieved 2026-08-26 · dynasty page: Kushan