Monasteries · Mirik
Morning prayers at Bokar Monastery
Climb to the Kagyu monastery founded by Bokar Rinpoche in 1984 and sit quietly at the back during morning prayers. Walk the prayer wheels clockwise and look down over the lake from the courtyard.
Bokar Rinpoche (1940–2004) was a senior teacher of the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism who left Tibet and settled in India. In 1984 he founded a small retreat centre on the hill above Mirik. Students and lay people asked him to accept monks, and the centre grew into the large monastery you see now, known as Bokar Ngedhon Chokhorling.
Arrive early, when monks gather for prayers. Remove your shoes where asked, sit at the back, and do not photograph inside the prayer hall unless allowed. Outside, walk the row of prayer wheels clockwise, as the monks do.
From the courtyard you look down over the town and the lake. The walk up from the lake takes 30–40 minutes; a car takes 10.
Cost: Free · donation welcome
Questions people ask
Good to know
Who founded Bokar Monastery?
Bokar Rinpoche, a Kagyu teacher of Tibetan Buddhism, founded it in 1984. It began as a small retreat centre and grew as monks joined. After his death in 2004, Khenpo Lodro Donyo Rinpoche continued to guide it, and a new Bokar Rinpoche has since been recognised.
Is there an entry fee at Bokar Monastery?
No. Entry is free, and donations are welcome. Dress modestly, remove shoes where asked and keep your voice low. Photography inside the prayer hall may not be allowed; ask first.
How far is Bokar Monastery from Mirik lake?
It is on the hill above the town, a 30–40 minute uphill walk from the lake or about 10 minutes by car. The road continues to the Rameetay Dara viewpoint nearby, so the two make a good morning together.
