Culture and history · Chungthang
Guru Rinpoche's rock and the paddy patch
Local Buddhist lore says Guru Padmasambhava rested at Chungthang and left hand and footprints on a rock from which water still flows, and that a patch of paddy nearby grows each year from grain he scattered. Ask locally for the shrine and visit quietly.
Guru Padmasambhava, Guru Rinpoche, is Sikkim's patron saint, and many places in the state are linked to his travels. Chungthang's story is one of the best known. The lore says he stopped here, and that a rock in the town carries the marks of his hands and feet. From a small opening in the rock, water flows that people collect as blessed.
Nearby, the story goes, is a small patch of ground where he scattered a handful of grain, and where paddy has grown every year since, although rice is not a crop of this altitude. Some local tellings connect Chungthang with Demazong, the hidden valley of rice, an old Tibetan name for Sikkim. These are traditions, and we share them as such.
Ask in town or your driver for the shrine; it is a short walk or drive. Remove shoes where asked, walk clockwise, and do not climb on the rock. A small donation is welcome. Chungthang also has a gurdwara; respect both places and the people who keep them.
Cost: Free · donation welcome
Questions people ask
Good to know
What is the Guru Rinpoche rock at Chungthang?
It is a rock that local Buddhist tradition says bears the hand and footprints of Guru Padmasambhava, Sikkim's patron saint, with water flowing from a small opening. Pilgrims visit it and collect the water. It is a matter of faith and folklore rather than history.
Does paddy really grow at Chungthang?
Local lore says a small patch of paddy grows every year near the rock, from grain scattered by Guru Padmasambhava, although rice is not normally grown at this height. Visitors and locals point it out as a blessing. We pass it on as tradition.
Is there a gurdwara at Chungthang?
Yes, Chungthang has a gurdwara as well as Buddhist shrines, and the town has a large army presence. Visitors of all faiths are generally welcome at both if they follow the customs: cover your head at the gurdwara, remove shoes, and keep quiet.
