IMPORTANT BUDDHSIT PILGRIM CENTRES IN THE EAST AND THE NORTH EAST

The beautiful hill station of Darjeeling and the neighboring Ghoom are well known for their Gompas, like the Bhutia Busty Gompa, the Yiga Choling Gompa, the samten Choling Gompa, the Thupten Sangag Choling Gompa and many others. Kalimpong, in west Bengal, is home to several Gompas. The Tharpa Choling Gompa belongs to the Gelupka sect of Tibetan Buddhism. The Thongsa Gompa, founded in 1692 is the oldest monastery in the area. Kalimpong,s largest monastery Zong Dog Palri Fo-Brang Gompa, is built on the spectacular Durpin Hill. There are close to 194 monasteryes in Skhim, India’s smallest state. Several of these are in Gangtok, the picturesque capital of Sikkim. The Enchey Gompa is the venue for the religious masked dances, performed during the Chaam Festival in December/January. The prayer hall here is completely covered with exquisite paintings and four intricately covered pillars support the roof. The gold apex of the huge Do-Drul Chorten (Stupa) is visible from many parts of Gangtok. Next to the Chorten is a gompa for young lamas.About 24 km from Gangtok is the Rumtek Monastery, with its Golden Stupa. The pemayangtse and Tashding Monasteries I West Sikkim the Ralong Monastery in the south and the phodung and Tolung Monasteries in North Sikkim are all well worth a visit. Not far from Bomdila in the north-eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh, lies the Tawang Monastery, believed to be the largest in the country. It houses a superb collection of ancient scriptures, images, Thankas and 8 metres high gilded image of the Buddha.