Chilling has a long-standing reputation as the traditional metalworking center of Ladakh, producing Buddhist ritual items, copper pots, and silver artifacts for centuries. Sumda Chenmo, on the other hand, holds immense spiritual significance as it houses a 10th-century temple attributed to the great translator Lotsawa Rinchen Zangpo. This makes the village an important religious and historical site in Ladakh’s Buddhist narrative.
Architecture (for sumda chenmo)
The Sumda Chenmo Monastery showcases early Tibetan Buddhist architecture, characterized by wooden and mud-brick structures with intricate frescoes and sculptures. The main temple houses wall paintings from the early 11th century in the Alchi style, with deities and mandalas displayed in vibrant mineral pigments. The use of traditional Tibetan construction with flat roofs and elaborately carved wooden pillars stands as a testament to ancient Himalayan craftsmanship.
