Phodong Monastery, Sikkim, India

Kagyu Tradition, 18th century, about 260 monks.

Phodong Monastery (Karma Thubten Tashi Chokhorling) is a Buddhist monastery in Sikkim, India, of Kagyu Tradition.

Phodong Monastery. Photo: Dhillan Chandramowli, Wikipedia.

Location

The monastery is located 28 kilometres from Gangtok, at an elevation of 1800m.

History

Phodong (or Phodang) Monastery was built in the early 18th century on the site of an older monastery.

The 9th Karmapa was invited by the king of Sikkim, where he founded three monasteries: Rumtek, one of the most important monasteries of the Karma Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism, Phodong and Ralang Monastery.

After an earthquake damaged the old building, the monastery was reconstructed it in with financial assistance from the Government. During reconstruction, experts from Delhi National Museum Institute preserved the old fresco paintings and restored in the new monastery.

Alexandra David Neel spent some years at Phodong Gompa studying Buddhism in 1912 under the guidance of the third Lachen Gomchen, her Root Teacher, and practiced meditation in a cave near the monastery.

She was a friend of Sidkeong Tulku Namgyal who gifted her a Buddha statue. Before she died in 1969 at the age of 100, she wished that the statue should be returned to Sikkim. Her wish was fulfilled by her friend Mary Peyronnet who was also the secretary of the Alexandra David Neel foundation.

She visited Sikkim along with the statue in 1992. Amidst rituals and prayers, the statue was restored to Phodong on 24th April 1992.

Features

The monastery has a rich collection of ancient murals. Some of Alexandra David Neel photos can be seen on the first floor of the monastery.

Phodong Monastery murals. Photo: Taci Topden Chuzapa.

Festivals

Phodong Monastery celebrates the annual festival on the 28th and 29th day of the 10th month of the Tibetan calendar (December or January). Along with several other rituals, the highlight of the festival is the Cham Dance that is performed by the monks.

Travel and Visiting

The best time to visit Phodong Monastery is during the annual festival. The nearest airport is Bagdogra in West Bengal.

National Highway 31A connects Gangtok with Kolkata, Siliguri, Darjeeling and Kalimpong. Bus services, jeeps and taxis are available between Gangtok and Siliguri.

Sources

• http://www.sikkimeccl.gov.in/History/Monasteries/North/PhodangMonastery.aspx
• http://www.buddhist-temples.com/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phodong_Monastery

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