Dubdi Monastery, Yuksom — the first monastery of Sikkim, on a hill
What it is
Dubdi is a small monastery of the Nyingma order on a hill spur above Yuksom, in West Sikkim, at 2,100 m. Wikipedia says it was founded in 1701 and describes it as the oldest monastery in Sikkim. "Dubdi" means "the retreat", and the building carries a second name, the Hermit's Cell, from Lhatsun Namkha Jigme, the ascetic who founded it. Yuksom was the first capital, and the monastery is tied to the founding of the kingdom there in the 17th century.
Photos: Amitabha Gupta (CC BY 4.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.
What survives
Wikipedia says four monasteries were built here at that time and that Dubdi is the only one still standing. The other three sites are now a cluster of four juniper trees, a rocky mound with two junipers, and a chorten on the site of the king's residence. The stone building has two floors, is square in plan and faces south, with an elaborately painted interior holding images, manuscripts and statues of the three lamas.
The walk
Wikipedia says the monastery stands about an hour's walk, 3 km, from Yuksom. Our routing reaches the town; there is no measured road leg for the hill. Wikipedia also says that only one monk now lives here and has to be told in advance of a visit.
Combine it with
The Tashiding and Yuksom day takes in Norbugang and Tashiding. Read things to do in Pelling and how to reach Pelling.
Plans that include this
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Questions people ask
What is Dubdi Monastery?
A Nyingma monastery on a hill above Yuksom, founded in 1701 and described by Wikipedia as the oldest in Sikkim. Its name means the retreat, and a second name for it is the Hermit's Cell, from its ascetic founder, Lhatsun Namkha Jigme. It is the only one of four early monasteries here that still stands.
How do you get to Dubdi Monastery?
Wikipedia says it stands on a hilltop about an hour's walk, 3 km, from Yuksom. The monastery is at 2,100 m on a spur. We have no verified path details; the climb is real effort, so ask locally about the route and conditions on the day.
Can you go inside Dubdi Monastery?
Wikipedia says that only one monk lives there and that to gain access he has to be told in advance. Treat entry as arranged rather than certain. We have no verified rule, so ask your guide or a local contact in Yuksom before you set out.