The Stok Palace 3
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The palace from outside.
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The colourful porched entrance as seen from a level below.
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A handmade metal chain latch - created as interlocking shapes by a metal smith.
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A room under construction on the upper storey's of the palace.
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An ethnic staircase leading up the museum built within the palace.
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The courtyard as seen from the palace museum.
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A skylight within one of the rooms.
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'Trishuls' above this room indicate that the space below is a small temple.
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A window in the courtyard giving the view of the landscape below.
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A trapdoor in the courtyard that was functional in the ancient days.
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Doors leading to doors, through doors in the courtyard of the Palace.
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Traditional Yak hair at the end of a dhwaja bearing the darchor (prayer flag).
Stok Palace is where the royal family of Ladakh resides permanently. This magnificent structure commands a view over the village of Stok. Painted in the archetypal off-white with traditional windows, it has been beautifully carved and colourfully painted pillars and doorways, leading into the palace. It lends itself to natural simplicity with its earthy palette of colours. The entrance of the palace has inscriptions in the Lansa Script, and to the forefront is a huge stone courtyard enclosed with walls and seating arrangements to one side. Hand painted ethnic doors are present all over the palace. The courtyard has a huge 'dhwaja' or flag installed in the centre. The palace is famous for the collection of ancient and valuable objects of the Ladakhi heritage - like utensils, clothes, jewellery, weapons and currencies - that it houses in the royal families personal museum.
For more details: http://dsource.in/resource/stok-palace
