Srinagar, Sep 15 (IANS) Jammu and Kashmir Governor N.N. Vohra, now on a tour of the state’s Ladakh region, Tuesday visited one of the oldest Buddhist monasteries of the country.
Accompanied by his wife and some senior officials, he went to the Hemis monastery, situated 45 km from Leh town. The Lamas gave Vohra a traditional welcome and presented him a “Khatak” (a ceremonial scarf).

The governor appreciated the centuries-old museum at the monastery and its library which houses some of the rarest Buddhist manuscripts. He laid emphasis on the scientific conservation of these rare and invaluable manuscripts for posterity.

He prayed at the monastery for peace, communal harmony and progress of the state.

Vohra also visited the Stok Palace where he was received by Raja Jigmet Wangchuk Namgyal, the descendant of Ladakhi kings who ruled the place before country’s independence.

Expressing amazement by the architecture and excellence of the palace, the governor said it was a part of the national heritage and all steps must be taken to preserve its glory.

Vohra also visited the camel farm in Leh where the rare double-humped species of camels is being conserved and propagated. The farm has 12 double-humped camels at present.

The natural habitat of this fast vanishing breed of camels is the Nubra Valley in the Ladakh region, but due to human interference, the species faces the danger of extinction.

The governor suggested that such an effort to conserve and propagate the double-humped camels would perhaps be more profitable in the Nubra Valley, the natural habitat of these species.