Hidden within the stark Trans-Himalayan landscape of Himachal Pradesh, the remote village of Gue safeguards a remarkable relic: India’s only known naturally preserved Buddhist mummy. Seated in a squatting position and robed in silk, the centuries-old body is astonishingly intact, with hair and teeth still visible. Locals believe it to be Sangha Tenzin, a revered lama who, legend says, willingly ended his life to protect his community from a plague of scorpions.

At an altitude of around 10,500 feet near the Indo-China border, Gue remains relatively unknown to mainstream travellers. Yet the mummy draws pilgrims who continue to worship it as a living god and seek guidance. Housed in a glass chamber beside the village monastery (Gompa), the figure exemplifies the rare Buddhist practice of self-mummification Sokushinbutsu also seen in Japan and Tibet.

Villagers recount that when the lama’s spirit departed, a rainbow arched across the sky and the scorpions disappeared, sealing his legend. Today, Gue’s quiet setting, combined with this extraordinary preservation of faith and sacrifice, makes it a destination of profound spiritual and cultural significance, offering visitors an unforgettable glimpse into Himalayan devotion and mystery.