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The Rumtek Monastery is a largest and most significant monasteries in Sikkim, Originally called as the Dharma Chakra Centre, it belongs to the Kargyu sect of Buddhists who originated in Tibet in the 12th century. Verdant green mountains surround the monastery and thus serves as a visual treat besides being a focal point for spiritual solace. Besides this, the architecture of the striking monastery is one of the finest in the world.
The glorious Rumtek Monastery houses a beautiful shrine temple and a monastery for the monks which were established with the aim of spreading the Buddhist teachings around the world. The sublime structure has a walkway around it on which the monks, pilgrims and visitors perform Kora (a circuit round of the monastery). The splendid Rumtek Monastery has preserved a golden stupa and various other sculptures which belonged to the 16th Karmapa. It also serves as the storehouse for many uniques objects besides storing some of the world's unique religious scriptures. The massive prayer hall inside the stunning monastery is a place worth seeing that is decorated with splendid murals, statues and thangkhas.
The Rumtek Monastery is a three-storeyed building housing some of the rarest Buddhist religious artwork in the form of murals and thangkas. The ground floor has a large prayer hall which houses the colossal hand painted and intricate murals, statues, silk paintings and thangkas. The top level of the monastery has a terrace and a tiny stupa. There is a shrine in the main building which is decorated traditionally with religious texts.
The main structure of Rumtek Monastery has been made in accordance with the traditional designs of the Tibetan monasteries. In front of the main monastery building, there is a large courtyard which has the premises where the monks live. The monastery is enshrined with the statues of Virudaka, Virupaksha, Dhritarashtra and Vaishravana who were considered guardians of the entire universe.
Outside the monastery, you can spot a staircase which will take you the Nalanda Institute of Higher Buddhist Studies. Opposite the institute, there is a building which houses the Golden Stupa of the 16th Karmapa made of pure gold. A few metres away is the bird aviary with many exotic birds. If you take an uphill walk for half a kilometre, you can find the hermitage point for the monks where they meditate up to 3 years in complete seclusion.
Prayer Bell
Inside of Rumtek monastery leads the pathway to the beautiful Golden Stupa.It is a beautiful shrine that contains the holy remains and relics of His Highness The Sixteenth Gyalwa Karmapa Rangjung Rigpe Dorje. The stunning stupa is thirteen feet high and a fitting monument to the Great Guru of The Kagyu Lineage.
Golden Stupa
It is ornamented in ancient Turquoise and Coral and is decorated with art of fine metalwork. Filigree, which is a combination of jewellery arranged in artistic motifs is also merged with the metalwork to give it an aesthetic view. Traditionally, it is also believed that the Golden Stupa was constructed with the motive of removing the obstacles of the reincarnation of His Highness The Sixteenth Gyalwa Karmapa Rangjung Rigpe Dorje. It is one of the most sought after places in Sikkim and is a visual treat for every pilgrim who comes to Sikkim.
The birthday of the Seventeenth Gyalwa Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje is celebrated on June 26 wherein a ceremony is held, followed by various cultural programs, dances and folk songs at the lay community.
Birthday Celebration
Originally built under the direction of Wangchuk Dorje, 9th Karmapa Lama in the mid-18th century, Rumtek served as the main seat of the Karma Kagyu lineage in Sikkim for some time. But when Rangjung Rigpe Dorje, 16th Karmapa, arrived in Sikkim in 1959 after fleeing Tibet, the monastery was in ruins. Despite being offered other sites, the Karmapa decided to rebuild Rumtek. To him, the site possessed many auspicious qualities and was surrounded by the most favorable attributes. For example, flowing streams, mountains behind, a snow range in front, and a river below. With the generosity and help of the Sikkim royal family and the local folks of Sikkim, it was built by the 16th Karmapa as his main seat in exile.
Dharma Chakra Center
After four years, construction of the monastery was completed. The sacred items and relics brought out from Tsurphu Monastery, the Karmapa's seat in Tibet, were installed. On Losar in 1966, the 16th Karmapa officially inaugurated the new seat, called "The Dharmachakra Centre, a place of erudition and spiritual accomplishment, the seat of the glorious Karmapa."
The monastery is currently the largest in Sikkim. It is home to the community of monks and where they perform the rituals and practices of the Karma Kagyu lineage. A golden stupa contains the relics of the 16th Karmapa. Opposite that building is a college, Karma Shri Nalanda Institute for Higher Buddhist Studies.
Students at Rumtek Monastery
