Pix Buddy- capturing life

We spent quite a time at Phodang relaxing a bit amidst the tranquil environment. It is really a peaceful place to be.

The Phodang Monastery is located about 38 Kms north of Gangtok. This monastery, built in 1740, was Sikkim’s leading Kargyudpa centre till Rumtek claimed this in th 1960s.

Lingdum Monastery shelters almost 300 monks, they largely come from Sikkim, Nepal, Bhutan, Darjeeling, Kalimpong and other places.

The main building is embellished with the symbols of Tibetan Buddhist architecture and topped with carved parasols and finials, it rises in receding terraces and pagoda roofs over a vast courtyard.

From the parking lot, a long wall fixed with prayer wheels leads to the front gate of Lindum Monastery.

On our way back from Rumtek we visited Lingdum Monastery. The sprawling complex, set amid serene forested hills, is a specimen of sacred architecture. It is equipped with exquisite murals, statues and adornments, besides the impressive scale of the edifice.

With its beautiful traditional architecture, carved and painted woodwork, magnificent murals and treasures of manuscripts and icons, Rumtek is a splendid example of the Tibetan monastic art in Sikkim. It is now the residence of His Holiness and the headquarters of the Dharma Chakra Religious Centre.

Rumtek monastery is said to be a replica of the Tsurphu Monastery of the Kagyupa order, in Tibet. It is said to be an important Buddhist pilgrimage site.

The old Rumtek monastery (now entirely renovated) was built in the reign of the fourth Chogyal, is a short distance away from the new monastery. A Sikkimese lad who learnt his trade from the lamas has embellished it with monastic paintings in the traditional style. Enshrined here is a stone slab marked with the footprint of Guru Padmasambhava.