Monasteries · Lachen
Lachen Monastery and its young monks
Lachen Monastery, Ngodrub Choling, is a Nyingma gompa built in 1858 above the village, with a monastic school for young monks. Walk up in the afternoon of your spare day for the view, the murals and, if you are lucky, the sound of lessons.
Ngodrub Choling was built in 1858, when Lachen was a herding and trading village on the route toward the Tibetan plateau. It follows the Nyingma school, like most of North Sikkim's village gompas, and it is the religious centre of Lachen. The Lachen Monastic School attached to it teaches young monks from the valley.
The walk up from the main road is steep but short, about 20–30 minutes at this height. Go slowly. From the courtyard you look down over the tin and timber roofs of Lachen and up the valley the Gurudongmar road follows. Inside are murals, statues and butter lamps; ask before taking photographs.
Afternoon is the best time, when the light is warm and you are not rushing to bed for a 3 am start. Walk clockwise, remove shoes before entering the prayer hall, and leave a small donation, ₹50–100, at the altar. Do not interrupt classes; watch from the door if the teacher allows.
Cost: Free · donation welcome
Questions people ask
Good to know
When was Lachen Monastery built?
Lachen Monastery, also called Ngodrub Choling, was built in 1858. It is a Nyingma Buddhist gompa above Lachen village and is home to the Lachen Monastic School. It is the religious centre of the Lachenpa community.
How do I get to Lachen Monastery?
Walk up from Lachen's main road in about 20–30 minutes; it is steep, so go slowly at this altitude. Some vehicles can drive closer. Ask your homestay for directions. Afternoon is the best time, since most tour schedules leave no other gap.
Can I visit Lachen Monastery on a 1-night tour?
Rarely. One-night tours reach Lachen in the evening and leave for Gurudongmar at 3–4 am, then continue to Lachung. With two nights in Lachen you have the afternoon free, which is the time to visit.
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