Tashiding Monastery is a Buddhist monastery of the Nyingma sect of Tibetan Buddhism in Western Sikkim, northeastern India. Located at an altitude of 1465m, it is built on top of a heart-shaped hill or a helmet shaped hill above the confluence of the Rathong Chu and Rangeet rivers, with Mt. Kanchendzonga providing the scenic backdrop.
Tashiding Monastery .PC Vishwas Raj
It is about 16 km from Yuksum, 40 km from Gezing via Legship. Tashiding Monastery is considered most sacred among other holiest monasteries in Sikkim. Tashiding means ‘The Devoted Central Glory’ and was founded in 1641 by Ngadak Sempa Chempo who belonged to the Nyingma sect of Tibetan Buddhism.
Tashiding Monastery .PC Vishwas Raj
There are many legends associated with this monastery. It is said Guru Padmasambhava shot an arrow into the air to select a place. Where the arrow he shot landed, he sat in meditation and that site eventually became the site of the Tashiding Monastery. Bhumchu (Bhum=pot; Chu=water) is an annual Buddhist festival celebrated to predict the future.
During the festival, a divine vase filled in the past year with holy water from the Rathong Chu is opened during the festival by the lamas who inspect the water level and hence it is called the festival of holy water. The belief is that alteration in the quantity and quality of the water stored in the vase over a year would indicate the fortune of Sikkim and its people in the following year.
Tashiding Monastery .PC Vishwas Raj
Tashiding Monastery .PC Vishwas Raj
The monastery is historically illustrious, geographically well located, aesthetically beautiful, spiritually divine, a place where nature and spirituality dwell together.
Stupas at Tashiding Monastery PC Vishwas Raj
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