Tabo Monastery ( or Tabo Chos-Khor Monastery ) is located in the Tabo village of Spiti Valley , Himachal Pradesh , northern India . It was founded in 996 CE in the Tibetan year of the Fire Ape by the Tibetan Buddhist '' lotsawa '' ( translator ) Rinchen Zangpo ( Mahauru Ramabhadra ) , on behalf of the king of western Himalayan Kingdom of Guge , Yeshe-Ö . Tabo is noted for being the oldest continuously operating Buddhist enclave in both India and the Himalayas . A large number of frescoes displayed on its walls depict tales from the Buddhist pantheon . There are many priceless collections of thankas ( scroll paintings ) , manuscripts , well-preserved statues , frescos and extensive murals which cover almost every wall . The monastery is in need of refurbishing as the wooden structures are aging and the thanka scroll paintings are fading . After the earthquake of 1975 , the monastery was rebuilt , and in 1983 a new '' Du-kang '' or Assembly Hall was constructed . It is here that the 14th Dalai Lama held the Kalachakra ceremonies in 1983 and 1996 . The monastery is protected by the Archaeological Survey of India ( ASI ) as a national historic treasure of India
earthquake of 1975
1975 Kinnaur earthquake
Tabo Monastery