DARJEELING TEMPLES

Ghoom Monastery: The monastery is said to be built in 1875 by Lama Sherab Gyatso. It is considered to be one of the holiest monasteries as this was personally blessed by the renowned Tomo Geshe Rimpoche of Tibet. It is also said that the monastey keeps rare books on Buddhism. The monastery has a statue of the ‘Coming Buddha’ known as Maitreye Buddha.

The Mag - Dhog Yolmowa Buddhist Monastery (Aloobari Monastery):The Mag-Dhog Yolmowa Buddhist Monastery was founded by its Head Priest, Ven. Sangay Lama who hailed from Yolmo in Nepal. The construction of the religious building co-incided with the beginning of the First World War in 1914. The monastery was therefore name Mag-Dhog or warding off the war and dedicated to the cause of world peace.

One of the oldest Buddhist monasteries in Darjeeling is worth a visit. A queer sense of inquisitiveness arises in anyone who visits the monastery. The statues of Lord Buddha depicting different forms is just beyond words of description. The statue of Lord Buddha and Padma Sambhava has a unique place in the history of architecture. The paintings on the wall are said to be done with the help of herbs and grass - an amazing work of art. The embossed images on the paintings can be felt with the very touch of the visitor and just makes one wonder how patient the painters must have been to paint all of the walls that too with minute details. Each painting depicts a story or teaching about life. Another interesting and the most valuable are the ancient scriptures lying inside the monastery.

Druk Thupten Sangag Choling Monastery (Dali Monastery): This monastery is at Dali , about 4 kms away from Darjeeling town . This is one of the famous monasteries belonging to the Kargyupa sect. The pioneer of this monastery was Thuksay Rimpoche, who died in 1983 and his incarnate was born in 1986 at Ladakh. This monastery forms the headquarters of Drukchen Rimpoche, the XII, the supreme head of the Kargyud lineage.

Sangchhen Thong, Delling Gompa (GYING): In the forecourt of the monastery, the year of establishment is written as being 1818. In view of this, it seems to be the oldest monastery in Darjeeling. The town of Darjeeling was not in existence then, as this area was then a part of the kingdom of Sikkim. But the available data with the Ecclesiastical Department of Sikkim tells a different story. According to the Department records this is what we find:
Name and ownership - Ging monastery belonging to Lamas of Pemayangtse monastery in West Sikkim. Land area – 19 acres at Ging bounded on the North-east , the eastern Lebong road, North and west, western Lebong road and south leading from Darjeeling to Rangeet, South and South West Govt. Ging road from Western Lebong to Darjeeling road.

Year of land allotment - Freehold grant given by the Lt. Governor of Bengal to Lama of Pemayangtse, Sikkim vide deed dated 28.2.1879. Year of establishment – It is not clearly mentioned in the records but it may have been immediately after the land allotment.

Karma Dorjee Chyoling Monastery (Bhutia Busty Monastery): It is said that this monastery was also shifted from its origins place at Observatory Hill .The same reasoningas in the case of shifting of the Ging Monastery can also be supposedly applied as the reason of shifting of this monastery too. Others have opinded that the Nepalese army destroyed this monastery inthe19th century. The original monastery at Observatory Hill was built by Lama DorjiLingpa, and the name Darjeelling was derived from his name . The monastery at Bhutia Busty was destroyed by a devastating earthquake in 1934 . With the benevolence of the Chogyal of Sikkim, it was rebuilt in the present location. The above two monasteies still belong to the Govt. of Sikkim and these two monasteries get some grant from the Ecclesiastical Department of Govt. of Sikkim for maintenance.

Tashi Dargyaligh Monastery: It was established in 1926. The Tamang of the Gorkhas / Nepali community are also Buddhists of Nyingmapa sect. They too have monasteries of their own in different parts of Darjeeling . The above is the oldest monastery of the Tamang community which is in the heart of the Darjeelling town. The other one at Takdah cntonment aarea is also equally old. The recently built monastery at Nagri , below Sukhkia Pokhari, has been blessed by Pener Rimpoche and considered to be one of the holiest shrines.

Sherpa Buddhist Association Monastery: This monastery is located at Toongsoong. About a kilometer from Chowrasta (Mall ) which was established in 1924. It belongs to the Nyingmppa sect. This monastery housed the statues of Sangay Hopamay , Chentezig and Guru Rimpoche.