Sikkim

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Pemayangtse is situated in West Sikkim near Gyalshing, which is 140 kilometers from Gangtok. It is few minutes from main town Pelling. The majestic Mt. Kanchenjungha appears picturesquely beautiful from this place. However, this village has been made famous for its monastery. The Pemyangtse monastery is one of the oldest and the most revered monasteries of Sikkim. The name ‘Pemayangtse’ refers to ‘Perfect Sublime Lotus’. The monastery belongs to the Nyingma order of the Buddhist monks and is considered the highest in order of all the Nyingma monasteries.

The monastery was founded in 1705 and was built by Lhatsun Chenpo initially as a small Lhakhang, which was later engorged to its present structure of a three storied building by Lhatsun Chenpo’s third reincarnate, Jigme Pawo. The monastery is surrounded by beautiful verdant greenery all around. On the way to the monastery, silk prayer flags of different colors imprinted with texts from Buddhist scriptures embellish the walkway on both sides. There are also beautiful cherry blossom trees along the way that gives a divine appearance to the place. Inside the monastery, there is a fine collection of wall paintings, art works and sculptures collected from various countries. The third floor of the monastery houses the shrine of the seven-tiered painted wooden model of the abode of Guru Rimpoche decked with rainbows, angels and miniature idols of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas adorning the altar.

Every year celebrations bedeck the monastery grounds with the religious dance festival of ‘Cham’ in the months of January and February. The dance recitals are performed by the lamas of the monastery who dress up in colorful costumes of their worshiped deities and incarnates. Thousands of pilgrims flock the monastery grounds every year around this time to witness this amazing performance. Fireworks and embroidered silk brocade scrolls are displayed at this time. Currently the monastery houses 108 monks.

Accommodation at Pemayangtse Bungalow

This is a true-heritage bungalow, with large windows opening up to Mt. Kanchenjungha and rooms with fireplaces and a verandah. A sitting room with a fireplace, where you can chat with your co-traveller and a dining hall with wooden furniture. Built completely in local pine wood, this bungalow is located within a heavily forested area with a great view of Mt. Kanchenjungha. There are only two bedrooms in the bungalow and a lounge area with heavy couches and center tables. Both the rooms come with attached bathrooms (even bathtubs) and all modern amenities like hot water geysers and walk-in showers. The wall-to-wall carpeted bedrooms have large wooden wardrobes,  well-cushioned beds and ample supply of quilts, blankets and pillows for the tired traveller.

How to reach  Pemayangtse Bungalow

Pemayangtse can be reached via New Jalpaiguri on road through a multitude of conveyance facilities such as jeeps, hired cars and shuttles or buses. Nearest railway station is New Jalpaiguri and the nearest airport is Bagdogra. It is about 140 kilometers from the capital city of Gangtok.

Attractions around Pemayangtse Bungalow

There are a number of other places of interests near Pemyangtse that you can visit. Since mostly it is a religious pilgrimage location of West Sikkim, there are a number of important monasteries and historical buildings of Sikkim located here such as the Dubdi monastery, Tashiding Monastery, the Rabdentse ruins, the Sanga Choeling Monastery and the famous lake of Khecheopalri.

Tashiding Monastery: It is located about 40 kilometers from Gyalshing. The monastery belongs to the Nyingmapa order of Buddhist monks. It is situated at the top of a little hillock between the two flowing rivers of Rathong and Rangit. The banks of the river are surrounded by rows of silk Prayer flags that add to the quaint beauty of the place. The monastery enclosure is surrounded by stone plaques which are encrypted with holy Buddhist mantras such as ‘Om Mane Padme Hum’ that have been crafted by the renowned artist Yanchong Lodil. The monastery was built in 1717 by Ngadak Sempa Chembo. The monastery is famous for the sacred festival of ‘Bumchu’ celebrated every year at midnight in the first month of the Tibetian Calendar.

Sanga Choeling Monastery: Also known as the ‘Island Of Esoteric Teaching’, this monastery was built in 1697 by Lama Lhatsun Chempo. It is situated about 7 kilometers from Pelling and is located on a steep ridge surrounded by lush greenery. The monastery houses many ancient clay statues that date back to the ancient 17th century. The monastery is famous for its evening and Morning Prayer sessions chanted by the monks residing here.

Dubdi Monastery: Located in the ancient capital town of Sikkim – Yuksom, the ‘Yuksom’ monastery belongs to the Nyingmapa sect of Tibetan Buddhism. It was built by Chakdor Namgyal in 1701 and is one of the first monasteries to be established in Yuksom. The monastery has a shrine dedicated to the founding fathers of Sikkim who were Lhatsun Namkha Jigmea and 2 other lamas from the 17th century. There is also a Buddhist Vihara located here which is situated at a height of 7000 feet. The monastery has a beautiful collection of exquisite art paintings and rare manuscripts that belong to various generations of Buddhist religion.

Khecheopalri Lake: Situated few kilometers from Pelling, this lake is believed to be formed by the divine blessings of Goddess Tara of Buddhist faith. Legends have that the lake was formed after the footprints left here on the soil by the Goddess Tara herself. Incidentally, the lake truly is shaped in the form a footprint. The water of this lake is considered extremely sacred and is used only for religious purposes. There is a monastery located nearby too. The lake is surrounded by a beautiful forest cover and has to be reached traversing a long walkway canopied by trees on both sides of the pathway. It is also called the ‘Wish Fulfilling Lake’ and is believed to fulfill prayers of ardent devotees.

Activities at Pemayangtse

Pemayangtse is surrounded by rich vegetation and forest cover which is ideal for great trekking and hiking activities. One can also go for quite walks in the afternoons along the monastery route and discover the wonderful juxtapose of nature and mankind against the scenic background of the grand Mt. Kanchenjungha. If you are fond of birdwatching, then you should spend few days in our bungalow and take walsk in the surrounding forests.