Ghoom Monastery in Darjeeling
Near Tiger Hill is the Ghoom Monastery also known as Yiga Choeling Tibetan Monastery. It is an age-old monastery of the Sakya order. Located 8 km away from Darjeeling it offers exquisite scenic beauty. Constructed in 1850, the outer structure was established by Sokpo Sherab Gyatso, a well-known monk and Mongolian astrologer who also remained the administrative head of his monastery. The statue that lies inside this place is of the future Buddha. 60 monks can be easily accommodated in this monastery which is the largest of the three monasteries in Ghum. A 4.57-meter-high statue of Maitreya Buddha is the primary attraction of the monastery which attracts people from far and wide to come here. Painted gold, the statue is said to be encrusted with precious stones. You can also check out the thangkas on the walls. It is also a storehouse of Tibetan translations of famous Sanskrit works, such as the Meghdoot by Kalidasa, Nagamandala by Sriharsa, etc.
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The Ghoom Monastery is a much-revered place for the Buddhist community and it restores some rare Buddhist manuscripts that can hardly be found anywhere else. The monastery follows the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. Ghum is the meeting point of several roads. The Hill Cart Road from Siliguri to Darjeeling runs through the town. It is 6 km from Darjeeling. It is 24 km from Kurseong via Sonada. Kalimpong is about 45 km away via Lopchu. Another road leads to Mongpu and then on to the Kalimpong-Siliguri road. There is a road to Kurseong via Dow Hill. Sukhiapokhri, almost on the India-Nepal border, is 11 km on the road to Mirik. People who are religiously inclined, keep this place on their must-visit list because the calm ambience of this place helps them in connecting with Buddha. Devotees in large numbers throng this place every month on the fifteenth, according to the Tibetan calendar.
Ghoom Monastery Timings and Entry Fee
The Ghoom Monastery opens at around 9 am in the morning and closes at around 6 pm every day. Entry to the monastery is free for tourists. However, if you want to take photos and videos, you have to pay. To take photos inside, Rupees 10 is charged, and to shoot videos, you have to pay around 50 rupees.
Ghum Monastery Location and How to Reach
Ghum Monastery is merely around 8 km driving distance away from the main town of Darjeeling. To cover the road distance, you only need to have a car ride of approximately 30 minutes. New Jalpaiguri Junctions (NJP) is its major nearby railway station and Bagdogra is the major nearby airport to this monastery. The Darjeeling tour package of North Bengal Tourism includes a car with an experienced driver so that our guests do not need to worry about how to reach the monastery on their own.
Best Time to Visit Ghoom Monastery
Ghoom Monastery can be visited at any time during the day between 9 am to 6 pm. However, the best time to visit the monastery is while returning from Tiger Hill as it is located on the way. One of the major reasons to visit the monastery in the morning is that during this time you will be able to see the monks praying and will get a glimpse of their daily life.
FAQs about Ghoom Monastery
Ghoom Monastery is famous for its gigantic 15-foot-tall Maitreya Buddha Statue, walls with beautiful Thangka, bell, and drums. It is also popularly known as Yiga Choeling Monastery.
The Yiga Choeling Monastery of Ghoom is one of the oldest in the region. It was first started constructed in the year 1850 by a Mangolian Monk named Lama Sherpa Gyaltsho.
Lama Sherpa Gyaltsho who was a Mangolian Monk built this beautiful monastery in Ghoom.
The monastery opens at around 8 am in the morning and closes at around 6 pm in the evening.
There is no fee required to enter the Ghoom Monastery. The monastery is open to all to visit from 9 am to 6 pm daily.
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