HimLocal
Sign in
HimLocal
The white domed Darjeeling Peace Pagoda with a golden Buddha niche and a slender spire among dark conifers on a hillside
1 / 3
Photo: Amitabha Gupta · CC BY 4.0
temple6 min from Darjeeling

Peace Pagoda, Darjeeling — the white Japanese stupa on Jalapahar

The Darjeeling Peace Pagoda on Jalapahar: a white stupa of 28.5 m raised by a Japanese Buddhist order and inaugurated in 1992, with its four Buddha images.

What it is

The Peace Pagoda is a white stupa on the Jalapahar hillside, in Darjeeling. Wikipedia says it is one of a series of pagodas raised under the guidance of the Japanese Buddhist monk Nichidatsu Fujii, founder of the Nipponzan-Myohoji order, to give people of all faiths a shared focus for world peace.

Photos: Amitabha Gupta (CC BY 4.0) · Amitabha Gupta (CC BY 4.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.

History and form

Fujii laid the foundation stone on 3 November 1972, and the pagoda was inaugurated on 1 November 1992. It was designed by M. Ohka and took 36 months to build. Wikipedia gives its height as 28.5 m and its diameter as 23 m, and says it houses four avatars of the Buddha, including Maitreya, in golden niches round the dome.

What you see

A white dome on a terraced base, reached by a white staircase among tall conifers, with a wide forecourt below it. Next to it is a Japanese temple of the same order. It is a place of worship, so behave quietly and ask before photographing people.

Getting there

The pagoda is south of the centre on the slopes of Jalapahar; our measured road time is in the quick facts. We have no verified opening hours or entry rules.

Combine it with

The one-day plan adds it to the ridge road after the Yiga Choeling Monastery, and the Mahakal temple shows the older side of Darjeeling's Buddhism. Read things to do in Darjeeling.

Plans that include this

All 2 plans that stop here →
The snow summits of the Kangchenjunga range glowing pink-gold in first light above a bank of cloud, seen from Tiger Hill
One day in Darjeeling — Tiger Hill sunrise and the ridge road
Day plan · First visit · Classic
A one-day Darjeeling plan: Tiger Hill at sunrise, the Batasia Loop, the Yiga Choeling Monastery, the Peace Pagoda, Mahakal temple and Chowrasta.
Best Mar–May · Oct–Nov
See the plan →
A blue Darjeeling Himalayan Railway train with blue carriages running beside a road between green forest and a stone drain
Two days in Darjeeling — the old town, the tea estate and the toy train
1 night · 2 days · First visit · Temples & heritage
A two-day Darjeeling plan: Chowrasta, the Mahakal temple, St Andrew's Church, the botanical garden and tea, then the toy train to Ghum, the loop and pagoda.
Best Mar–May · Oct–Nov
See the plan →

Nearby places

All of Darjeeling →
Batasia Loop, Darjeeling — the spiral of the toy train and the Gorkha memorial
Batasia Loop, Darjeeling — the spiral of the toy train and the Gorkha memorial
monument · 1.8 km away
Lloyd's Botanical Garden, Darjeeling — the Himalayan plants below the town
Lloyd's Botanical Garden, Darjeeling — the Himalayan plants below the town
monument · 1.8 km away
Darjeeling Himalayan Railway — the toy train and its loops
Darjeeling Himalayan Railway — the toy train and its loops
monument · 2.0 km away
Chowrasta, Darjeeling — the town square on the Mall
Chowrasta, Darjeeling — the town square on the Mall
area · 2.0 km away
Yiga Choeling Monastery, Ghum — the Old Ghoom Monastery and its Maitreya statue
Yiga Choeling Monastery, Ghum — the Old Ghoom Monastery and its Maitreya statue
temple · 2.1 km away
St Andrew's Church, Darjeeling — the town's oldest church
St Andrew's Church, Darjeeling — the town's oldest church
monument · 2.3 km away
Mahakal Temple, Darjeeling — the Shiva shrine on Observatory Hill
Mahakal Temple, Darjeeling — the Shiva shrine on Observatory Hill
temple · 2.3 km away
Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, Darjeeling — the high-altitude zoo
Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, Darjeeling — the high-altitude zoo
park · 3.4 km away

Nearby destinations

All destinations →
Pastel-coloured buildings of Gangtok climbing a steep, forested hillside, seen from a viewpoint across the valley
Gangtok
49 km away · 4 itineraries · 11 places
A wide view over the houses of Shillong spread across forested hills under a sky of towering white clouds
Shillong
395 km away · 3 itineraries · 6 places
A deep, steep-sided green valley filled with low grey cloud seen from the Mawkdok Dympep viewpoint near Cherrapunji
Cherrapunji
397 km away · 1 itineraries · 2 places
The town of Almora spread across a terraced ridge under a blue sky with clouds
Almora
890 km away · 2 itineraries · 4 places
Been here?Help the next traveller — our team checks every contribution.

Questions people ask

What is the Peace Pagoda in Darjeeling?

A white stupa on the Jalapahar hillside, one of a worldwide series of pagodas built under the guidance of the Japanese Buddhist monk Nichidatsu Fujii as a focus for world peace. Wikipedia says the foundation stone was laid on 3 November 1972 and the pagoda was inaugurated on 1 November 1992.

How tall is the Darjeeling Peace Pagoda?

Wikipedia gives a height of 28.5 metres, 94 feet, and a diameter of 23 metres. It says M. Ohka designed it, that it took 36 months to build, and that it houses four avatars of the Buddha, including Maitreya. It is run by the Nipponzan-Myohoji order, so it is a place of worship, not just a viewpoint.

How far is the Peace Pagoda from the centre of Darjeeling?

It lies on the Jalapahar slopes, south of the centre; our measured road time is in the quick facts above. It is usually combined with the Ghum monastery and the Batasia Loop on the ridge road. We have no verified opening hours or entry rules, so ask locally and remove your shoes where asked.