| Gangtok Sights |
| No Link |
Rumtek Monastery The Rumtek Monastery, 24 km from Gangtok, is one of Buddhism's most sacred monasteries. The monastery is the seat of the Kagyu pa (black hat) order, one of the major sects of Tibetan Buddhism, and houses some of the world's most sacred and rare Tibetan Buddhist scriptures and religious objects. The monastry was founded in 1740 and rebuilt after an earthquake in the 1960s, when it was modeled after a similar monastery in Lhasa, Tibet. Rumtek was the focus of international media attention in 2000 after the seventeenth Karmapa, one of the four holiest lamas, fled Lhasa and sought refuge in the monastery. Behind the main temple is the Institute for Buddhist Studies, where the monks study. The main hall on the third floor has excellent wall paintings and statues of Shakyamuni Buddha (the historical Buddha) and one of Karmapa Rimpoche. His remains are in a chorten, across from the institute. You can also visit the Old Monastery, a forty-five-minute walk down the hill. Rumtek is the site of chaam dances, held two days before the Tibetan New Year in February and on the tenth day of the fifth month of the Tibetan calendar (July). At this time, monks dance to the playing of drums, horns, and cymbals. You can come a few days early to watch the rehearsals To enter the monastery foreigners have to show their passport. Rumtek can be visited as a day trip or if you wish to stay the night there are several budget budget hotels and guesthouses near the monastery. Enchey monastery The Enchey monastery is the city's oldest monastery and is the seat of the Nyingma order. The two-hundred year old baroque monastery houses images of gods, goddesses, and other religious artifacts. In the month of January, the Chaam, or masked dance, is performed with great fanfare. Dro-dul Chorten The Dro-dul Chorten is a stupa which was constructed in 1945 by Trulshi Rimpoché, head of the Nyingma order of Tibetan Buddhism. Inside this stupa are complete set of relics, holy books, and mantras. Surrounding the edifice are 108 Mani Lhakor, or prayer wheels. The complex also houses a religious school. Namgyal Institute of Tibetology The Namgyal Institute of Tibetology, better known as the Tibetology Museum, houses a huge collection of masks, Buddhist scriptures, statues, and tapestries. It has over two hundred Buddhist icons, and is a centre of study of Buddhist philosophy. Himalayan Zoological Park The Himalayan Zoological Park exhibits the fauna of the Himalayas in their natural habitats. The zoo features the Himalayan Black Bear, the barking deer, the snow leopard, the leopard cat, tibetan wolf, Masked Palm Civet, red pandas and the spotted deer amongst the others. |