The main significance of the Sankar Gompa is the fact that this is the official residence of the Kushok Bahul or the head of Lakdakh's Gelukpa Sect. It is located about 3 km from Leh and is a subsidiary of the Spituk Gompa. There are a lot of interesting features to see in this gompa such as the image of Dukar with an inset of a turquoise that is shown with a thousand arms, feet, heads and 100,000 eyes. To its right is a statue of the Buddha of the Future. There is also an image of Avalokitesvara, the Lord of All He Surveys which has 11 heads and a thousand arms. Another image in the Sankar Gompa is of Tsong-kha-pa who is the founder of the Buddhist sect known as the yellow-hat sect. Monks of this sect permanently resides in the Sankar Gompa, hence the restrictions on the time when tourists can visit the gompa.
