Tashiding Monastery is a religious place to visit in North-East India. The popular monastery is located in the mountainous state of Sikkim, India. A Buddhist Tantrayana Master called Guru Padmasambhava had made his miraculous visit to this hill in the 8th century A.D, along with his retinue of followers and recognized it as a heart of the holy places in Sikkim.
The monastery binds the visitors with its attractive architecture and a snowy backdrop of grand mountain peaks. This monastery is located in the western Sikkim in Tashiding near Pelling it is 40 kilometers from Gyalshing, 30 kilometers from Ravangla and 19 kilometers from Yuksom. You can hire a taxi from all the major towns in Sikkim to get to this attraction.
Tashiding Monastery belongs to the Nyingmapa order and was built in the 17th century on top of a hill between the two beautiful rivers, Rangit and Rathong. Tashiding Monastery is very famous for its celebration of Bumchu. The unique festival draws visitors and Buddhist devotees in huge numbers. Every year in February the monastery celebrates the grand festival started by Guru Padma Sambhava himself. The holy lamas open a sacred pot containing holy water and make important predictions by studying the level and quantity of water within.
While in Tashiding Monastery you can explore one of the oldest shrines in Sikkim. There are 41 chortens in the Tashiding Monastery, each having its own divine roots. In the monastery, view the stone plates that are engraved with holy Buddhist mantras and inscriptions of “Om Mane Padme Hum”. The main sanctum sanctorum stands surrounded by old edifices, stupas and stone plates.
The surrounding area of the shrine is decorated with prayer flags, a number of stupas and there are also inscription slabs placed outside the Tashiding Monastery. The monastery was built in 1717 by Ngadak Sempa Chembo during the reign of the third Chogyal Chakdor Namgyal. The sacred ceremony of Bumchu is held here at midnight on the 14th & 15th of the first Tibetan month.
Whenever you plan to visit Sikkim you must visit Tashiding Monastery I am sure you will be enlightened by its beauty and their culture.
