Monasteries · Ghoom
Morning prayers at Yiga Choeling
Be at Yiga Choeling, Ghoom's Gelug monastery founded in 1850, when the monks chant in the morning. Sit at the back, watch butter lamps lit before the 4.6 m Maitreya, and walk the prayer wheels outside before the tour cars arrive from Tiger Hill.
Yiga Choeling was founded in 1850 by Lama Sherab Gyatso, three decades before the railway came up the hill. It belongs to the Gelug school, the youngest of the four main schools of Tibetan Buddhism and the one most associated with the Dalai Lama. The monastery sits a few minutes' walk below the main road at Ghoom, a compact building with prayer wheels set along its outer walls and a small courtyard that catches the morning sun when the mist allows.
Inside, the main image is Maitreya, the Buddha who is to come, about 4.6 m (15 ft) tall. Around him are smaller images, painted scrolls and shelves of scriptures wrapped in cloth. In the early morning the monks chant, and the hall smells of butter lamps and incense. Visitors may sit quietly at the back; there is no need to join in, and nobody minds being watched with respect. Many people find this half hour the most peaceful of their whole trip.
Go between about 6 and 8 am; timings vary with the season and the monastery calendar, so ask the evening before. Remove your shoes where others do, walk clockwise, and do not point your feet at the altar. Photography inside may be restricted or charged, so ask first. Tour cars from Tiger Hill arrive from about 6:30 am in season, which makes the earliest half hour the quietest. Pay the small entry fee or leave a donation.
Cost: Small fee or donation
Questions people ask
Good to know
What time are prayers at Ghoom monastery?
Morning prayers are usually held early, roughly between 6 and 8 am, with further sessions later in the day, but timings change with the season and the monastery calendar. Ask at your hotel or at the monastery the day before. Arriving before the Tiger Hill tour cars, which reach Ghoom from about 6:30 am in season, gives you the quietest visit.
Is there an entry fee at Yiga Choeling?
There is either a small entry fee or a donation box, depending on the period; expect no more than a few tens of rupees, and sometimes a separate charge for photography inside. Fees change, so check current status before you travel. Keep small notes ready, and leave something even if no fee is being collected at the door.
Can I take photos inside the monastery?
Ask first. Some periods allow photography in the prayer hall for a small fee, others not at all, and prayers in progress should never be photographed with flash. The outer courtyard, the prayer wheels and the view from the steps are fine to photograph. Never pose with your back to the altar or climb on any part of the shrine for a picture.
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