Places to visit in Pelling, Pemayangtse Monastery

Pemayangtse Monastery situated at a height of 6840 feet is the second largest monastery in Sikkim. The literal meaning of 'Pemayangtse' is a 'Perfect Sublime Lotus' and the place actually is the one. This ancient monastery belonging to the Nyingma-pa sect and is the head of all other monasteries of this sect in Sikkim. The view of the mountain ranges from Pemayangtse is perhaps one of the finest. Elevated at the height of 2085 meters, Pemayangtse Monastery is positioned at a distance of 6 kilometers from Geyzing, the headquarters of West Sikkim District. One can easily reach the monastery by taking regular buses or by hiring private taxis from Geyzing. In 1705, Pemayangtse Monastery was built by Lhatsun Chempo (one of the Lamas who performed the consecration ceremony of the first Chogyal) for the 'ta-sang' lamas (the purest of the monks). The monastery had been the leading monasteries, where all religious activities of the monarchs took place. Made out of wood, the edifice of the monastery looks divine along with Mt. Kanchenjunga as its surrounding landscape. The exotic surroundings add to the spiritual ambiance of Pemayangtse Monastery.

Pemayangtse Monastery is the main center of the Nyingamapa sect, which is a tantrik sect established in the 8th century A.D. The followers of this sect wear red caps rather than the yellow ones worn by monks in other monasteries. The walls of this monastery are adorned with traditional frescoes depicting tantrik Buddhist themes. An interesting feature of Pemayangtse monastery is the depiction of sangthopalri or heaven, intricately sculpted on wood by a single monk, which took several years to complete. The monastery also houses a treasure trove of antique carvings. Near the monastery, one can find traditional austere dwellings of the monks. Pemayangtse is endowed with rich natural beauty, as it is set amongst picturesque mountains, glaciers and has abundant shrubs of the exotic rhododendron. Pemayangtse is famous for its Buddhist festivals. The festival of Losar marking the Tibetan New Year is celebrated in the month of February/March every year with great fanfare in the Pemayangtse Monastery. The 3-storied building of the monastery houses a good collection of wall paintings and sculptures. In the first floor of the monastery, there are plenty of Buddhist idols of antique value, along with scriptures and decorated paintings. Also, there are idols depicting the 8 incarnationas of Padmasambhava which are depicted in fierce forms. An important structure is a seven storied wooden structure with paintings which is supposed to be the heavenly palace of Guru Rinpoche known as Sanghthokpalri also known as Zandog Palri, which is particular seen in the top floor of the monastery.

There are lots of painting scenes from angels, rainbows, buddhas and bodhistavas and they were done by Dungzin Rimpoche extending over a period of 5 years. Every year, 'Chaam' (Mask Dance) is organized here, which attracts people from all parts of Sikkim to Pemayangtse. Dressed in costumes of rare magnificence, the Lamas represent Mahakala and Guru Drag-dmar. The dance ends on the third day with the unfurling of the `Ghyo- ku' - a gigantic embroidered Buddhist scroll as the devotees bend down in homage. The best time to visit Pemayangtse is between the months of March and May. Even today, the monastery is counted amongst the premier monasteries of Sikkim with tourists from all over pouring in to pay a visit. The nearest airport is the Bagdogra airport located at Bagdogra in West Bengal which is around 124 km from Gangtok. Flights from here connect to destinations like Delhi, Kolkata, Patna and Guwahati. The nearest rail station is at New Jalpaiguri which is at a distance of 134 km from Gangtok. From New Jalpaiguri jeeps are also available to bring you to Gangtok.