Darjeeling : Pictures From the Drukpa Kagyu Tibetan Buddhist Monastery

The Drukpa Kagyu monastery in Dali, just a few kilometers outside of Darjeeling, is the main seat of His Holiness the XIIth Gyalwang Drukchen. He is at the head of the Drukpa Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism and said to be an incarnation of the Buddha of compassion. He was officially recognized as such by the Dalai Lama in 1967.

When arriving in Darjeeling by Jeep, the monastery is the first big impressive structure one encounters. The walk to the monastery from the center of Darjeeling is fairly easy and will take 15-25 minutes.

This was the first Tibetan monastery and the first Buddhist monks I came upon while traveling in India so I was quite excited to be there. Many of those monks are actually of Nepalese and Bhutanese ethnicity.

Vincent and I spent some time inside the main temple room before a group of young monks came in to perform daily prayers. The gold-platted Buddha statues inside the temple, off limits to cameras, were huge, gorgeous, finely made and remain the most impressive ones I’ve seen in the country.

A good time to visit the monastery is in the early morning or late afternoon during prayer time. Guests are allowed inside.

This candid monk came to hang around me as I sat in the prayer wheels hall. He was quite curious about my camera and enjoyed looking at his miniature self in the screen.

The large prayer wheels make bell sounds as they turn and set into motion the prayers engraved on them. As I sit quietly, lay pilgrims sit or stand by the bells and recite the Om Mani Padme Hum mantra.

Outside, below the main courtyard, two monks playfully fold robes…

… while, others enjoy looking at the hustle and bustle of the streets below. This being February, much of Darjeeling in camouflaged in mist and haze. The normally spectacular view of the Kangchenjunga mountain rage can’t be seen. For this, we will have to wait for Sikkim.

Large colourful frescos adorn the exterior walls. Even more striking are those inside the main temple, from floor to ceiling featuring numerous saints and Buddhas.