Monasteries · Lachung
Lachung Monastery in the quiet hours
Lachung's Nyingma monastery was established in 1880 on the slope above the village. Visit on your spare afternoon after the tour vehicles have gone, sit in the courtyard, and ask the caretaker monk about the yearly mask dance.
Most tour groups see Lachung Monastery only from the road, if at all, because the schedule fills with Yumthang and Zero Point. That leaves the gompa quiet in the afternoon. It belongs to the Nyingma school, the oldest of Tibetan Buddhism's four schools and the one most closely linked with Guru Padmasambhava, who is honoured all over Sikkim.
The monastery was established in 1880, when Lachung was still a trading village with routes north into Tibet. Inside the prayer hall you will see painted walls, butter lamps and images of Padmasambhava. The monastery holds an annual masked dance, the cham; the date follows the Tibetan calendar, so ask in the village or at the monastery.
Walk up from the main road or take a short drive; your homestay host will point out the path. Dress modestly, walk clockwise around the building and the prayer wheels, take off shoes before entering the hall, and ask before using a camera inside. A donation of ₹50–100 at the altar is normal and appreciated.
Cost: Free · donation welcome
Questions people ask
Good to know
How old is Lachung Monastery?
Lachung Monastery was established in 1880. It is a Nyingma gompa, the school of Tibetan Buddhism linked with Guru Padmasambhava, and it serves the Bhutia families of Lachung. It is not as old as Phodong or the West Sikkim monasteries, but it is the spiritual centre of the village and holds a yearly masked dance.
Can I visit Lachung Monastery on a 1-night tour?
Usually not, because a 1-night schedule reaches Lachung after dark and leaves for Yumthang at 6 am. You can sometimes ask the driver to stop on the way back from Yumthang if there is time. To see it properly, stay a second night in Lachung and go in the afternoon.
Is photography allowed inside Lachung Monastery?
Ask first. Many Sikkim monasteries allow photos in the courtyard but not inside the prayer hall, and the rule can depend on the caretaker. Photograph the outside, the prayer flags and the valley freely, keep your voice low, and never use a flash on old murals.
Also in Lachung
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