Hunder Monastery

After a rest, with a few hours left until dinner we decided to take a walk through Hunder village. We set off on a route we hadn't wandered before. As we were turning a corner I happened to look up on the mountainside and spotted what looked to be a string of old monastic cells. Stone one room huts were actually scattered across the hillside. I wonder if that is Hunder monastery that the guidebook so briefly mentions? And how can we get there? We kept walking hoping that maybe the road would curve around and take us there. We've been continually drawn to some of the small concrete paths that veer off from the road and finally decided to follow one. We were excited when it took us by a small field of shrines, but even more thrilled when it led us over the stream and then up to where we wanted to go. Across the main road stood one of the prettiest prayer wheels we have seen. To the left stood a long stupa covered with intricately carved stones. Beyond that pebble stone paths led up to different areas of the mountainside, all of which held a handful of old monastic cells. We climbed one promising looking path for a ways, but due to impending night fall had to turn back before reaching anything of interest...unless you count more carved stones or the view of the field of over 50 white chorten across the river. We were still unclear as to if this was solely an abandoned monastery or still a working one as we began our walk back down to the little footpath. All of a sudden I noticed a monk coming out of a stone house. I guess it is still a monastery! We greeted him with a friendly "Juley" and then he came out of the gate holding a key. Did we want to visit ... something? Oh, yes. If a monk is willing to unlock a door I will follow him to see where it leads. Down some rocks and through a new door led us to a prayer hall that appeared to still be under construction. On the far side a fabric hanging hid a doubly locked door to a four hundred year old temple. Inside, the darkness barely pierced by a few candles, standing behind a glass wall was the most stunning Buddha I've seen this trip. His serious face and prayerful position dominated the space, keeping your attention. "Wow," was an echo inside my head. Look at what we stumbled upon...and we almost didn't go for a walk!