Yiga Choeling Monastery also known as the Ghoom Monastery in Darjeeling

Yiga Choeling Monastery is located in Darjeeling. It is familiar to the people by the name Ghoom Monastery. The monastery is situated 7kms away from the main town in Darjeeling. This simple yet astounding monastery is located at an altitude of 8000 feet, with a spectacular view of the Kanchenjunga river.

Lama Sherab Gyatso is the founder of this popular tourist spot in the year 1875. It is the only largest monastery in Ghoom. The numerous flags surrounding the monastery create a tranquil atmosphere. There are numerous Buddhist scriptures available here. One of them is the Kangyur that has 108 volumes and is known to be the Tibetan Buddhist Canon.

The Architectural Significance of the Ghoom Monastery

The Ghoom Monastery is an example of typical Buddhist Architecture. This religion had started in the 3rd Century BC, in South Asia. It is a Vihara style architecture which is a form of India’s ancient rock-cut architecture.

The Ghoom Monastery is beautifully ornamented with colorful miniature paintings depicting all kinds of religious figurines and Gods.

The monastery houses a 15 feet tall statue of Buddha made out of clay. This clay was bought from Tibet at the time of its construction. The two massive oil lamps are placed in front of the holy statue of Buddha that keeps illuminating the place throughout the year.

What is Vihara Style Architecture?

Viharas is the early type of Buddhist monastery consisting of an open court surrounded by open cells accessible through the entrance porch. In India, the Viharas were originally constructed to shelter the monks during the rainy seasons.
All the viharas show some common features like a veranda, a hall, a cell along the pathways, and a Stupa at the back.

The various festivals celebrated at Ghoom Monastery

The Yiga Choeling Monastery is Darjeeling’s oldest monastery. A huge number of festivals are celebrated grandly here. This monastery owns quite a huge number of authentic Buddhist manuscripts. During Buddha Jayanti, many people visit the monastery to get blessings from the Holy Spirit of Lord Buddha.

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The Mythology and History of the Ghoom Monastery

This monastery contains photos of all of Buddha’s disciples namely Chingapa, Chenrezi, and many more. It is affiliated with Tibetan Buddhism of the Gelug sect. This sect was started by Je Tsongkhapa and is known to be the newest form in this category. By the end of the 16th century, the Gelug came out as the leading greatest Buddhist school by allying with the powerful patrons, the Mongols.

Written By Aishee Bachhar | Subscribe To Our Telegram Channel To Get Latest Updates And Don’t Forget To Follow Our Social Media Handles Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Twitter. To Get the Latest Updates From Arco Unico