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Lamayuru is located 4 hrs away from Leh - on the NH1 bordering the River Indus. While traveling towards it, one is able to view the most bizarre formations of stones and mountains. The Magnetic Hill and the ‘Moonlands’ being a few of them make it a popular destination with trekkers and photographers. As a village settled amidst a bowl shaped valley, with a clump of different hills, an old tale recounts how this valley was once filed with lake water. The great Guru Naropa is said to have had a vision, and he prayed for the valley to be emptied of water so a monastery could be built. Even geologists believe that it was the presence of water ages ago that has eroded the land, lending itself to strange shapes, colors and formations giving its identity to the little village of Lamayuru. Lamayuru is also known as ‘Tharpaling’ meaning ‘place of freedom’. According to a myth an ailing king who was revived by a monk declared the entire space of the monastery, as a sanctuary where no one could be arrested.