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The seated golden and dark-blue Buddha statue on a stepped, richly painted base against a forested hillside and a cloudy sky
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Photo: Joydeep · CC BY-SA 4.0
monument3 min from Ravangla

Buddha Park of Ravangla — the 130-foot Buddha above South Sikkim

The Buddha Park of Ravangla, or Tathagata Tsal: a 130-foot copper Buddha built from 2006 to 2013, with a lake, museum and meditation centre near the town.

What it is

The Buddha Park of Ravangla, also called Tathagata Tsal, stands in South Sikkim a little north of Ravangla. Wikipedia says it was built between 2006 and 2013 and is dominated by a statue of the Buddha, 130 feet or 40 m high, made of 60 tonnes of copper by repoussé. It was raised to mark the anniversary of the Buddha's birth, and Mount Narsing forms its backdrop.

Photos: ClickAR89 (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Subhrajyoti07 (CC BY-SA 4.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.

Inside the park

The park is laid out within the larger religious complex of the Rabong Monastery. Wikipedia names the Cho Djo lake in the woods, a gathering hall for Buddhist teachings, a place for meditation and a museum whose gallery winds in a spiral, all linked by broad walkways. The statue was consecrated by the 14th Dalai Lama on 25 March 2013, after the government and the people of Sikkim built it together, and the park forms part of a Buddhist circuit meant to bring pilgrims and visitors to the area.

Getting there

The park is about 1 km north of the town by Wikipedia's figure, and the measured road time is in the quick facts. Wikipedia adds that the Ravangla bus stand is a walk away. We have no verified opening hours, ticket price or rules for the museum.

Combine it with

Ralang Monastery is the other major stop, and the one-day plan joins both with the town. Read things to do in Ravangla and when to visit Ravangla.

Plans that include this

All 1 plans that stop here →
The seated golden and dark-blue Buddha statue on a stepped, richly painted base against a forested hillside and a cloudy sky
One day in Ravangla — the Buddha Park, Ralang Monastery and the town with its views
Day plan · First visit · Temples & heritage
A one-day Ravangla plan: the 130-foot Buddha at the Buddha Park, Ralang Monastery, and the town and Tibetan settlement with views of Kanchenjunga. Free to copy.
Best Mar–May · Oct–Nov
See the plan →

Nearby places

All of Ravangla →
Ravangla town — the pass town with a Tibetan settlement and mountain views
Ravangla town — the pass town with a Tibetan settlement and mountain views
town · 945 m away
Ralang Monastery, Ravangla — a large Kagyu monastery of thangkas
Ralang Monastery, Ravangla — a large Kagyu monastery of thangkas
temple · 3.3 km away
Tashiding Monastery — the holiest hilltop monastery in Sikkim
Tashiding Monastery — the holiest hilltop monastery in Sikkim
temple · 6.5 km away
Rabdentse Ruins, Pelling — the second capital of Sikkim's kings
Rabdentse Ruins, Pelling — the second capital of Sikkim's kings
ruins · 11 km away
Pemayangtse Monastery, Pelling — the old Nyingma seat on the ridge
Pemayangtse Monastery, Pelling — the old Nyingma seat on the ridge
temple · 11 km away

Nearby destinations

All destinations →
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Pelling
12 km away · 3 itineraries · 8 places
The huge copper-coloured seated statue of Guru Padmasambhava on its painted base on Samdruptse hill under a grey sky
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Pastel-coloured buildings of Gangtok climbing a steep, forested hillside, seen from a viewpoint across the valley
Gangtok
25 km away · 5 itineraries · 11 places
Roofs and hotels of Darjeeling spreading down a steep ridge under distant blue mountain ranges and soft cloud
Darjeeling
32 km away · 8 itineraries · 13 places
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Questions people ask

What is the Buddha Park of Ravangla?

A park near Ravangla in South Sikkim, also called Tathagata Tsal, built from 2006 to 2013 around a 130-foot copper statue of the Buddha. Wikipedia says the Dalai Lama consecrated the statue on 25 March 2013. The park also has a lake, a meditation hall and a museum whose gallery winds in a spiral.

How far is the Buddha Park from Ravangla?

About 1 km north of the town, by Wikipedia's account, and 1.4 km and about 3 minutes by road on our routing. Wikipedia says the bus stand is a walk from the park. We have no verified opening hours or entry fee, so ask locally before you go.

What is the Buddha statue made of?

Wikipedia says the statue is built of 60 tonnes of copper and is an example of repoussé, the art of hammering metal into relief. It stands 130 feet or 40 m high, set against Mount Narsing, and was raised to mark the anniversary of the Buddha's birth.