Rumtek Monastery — the Dharma Chakra Centre near Gangtok
What it is
Rumtek Monastery, whose full name is the Dharma Chakra Centre, is a Karma Kagyu monastery on a hillside south-west of Gangtok. The Gyalwang Karmapa has his seat in exile here, and Wikipedia calls it the largest monastery in Sikkim.
Photos: Bernard Gagnon (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Bernard Gagnon (CC BY-SA 4.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.
History
Wikipedia says a monastery was first built here under the 12th Karmapa in the mid-18th century. When the 16th Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje, arrived from Tibet in 1959 it lay in ruins, and he chose to rebuild it with the help of the Sikkim royal family and local people. Relics and sacred objects carried out of Tsurphu, where the Karmapa had lived in Tibet, were placed here, and he opened the new Dharma Chakra Centre on Losar in 1966. A golden stupa holds his relics, and a Buddhist college, the Karma Shri Nalanda Institute, faces it.
A place with a contested story
The monastery has been the centre of a dispute over which candidate is the 17th Karmapa. Wikipedia names two bodies backing different claimants, and describes court cases about control of the monastery and its contents. Since 2003 Indian security forces have been present to keep order. For a visit, this means ordinary security checks and quiet conduct; we have no verified entry rules, so ask locally.
What you see
The main prayer hall and its courtyard, the golden stupa, the college and the monks' quarters, with painted doors, pillars and murals. It is a working monastery, so dress modestly and ask before photographing people.
Getting there
Wikipedia gives 24 km from Gangtok; our measured road time is in the quick facts. Allow longer in the rains, when Wikipedia says landslides often cut the roads.
Combine it with
Other monasteries around the town include Gonjang, near Tashi Viewpoint, and Lingdum at Ranka; the two-day plan puts Rumtek on its own morning, and the Enchey Monastery is the town's own. See things to do in Gangtok and how to reach Gangtok.
Plans that include this
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Nearby places
All of Gangtok →
Nearby destinations
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Questions people ask
What is Rumtek Monastery?
A Karma Kagyu monastery in the hills outside Gangtok, also known as the Dharma Chakra Centre. Wikipedia says the 16th Karmapa rebuilt it after arriving from Tibet in 1959 and opened it in 1966 as his home in exile. It is described as the largest monastery in Sikkim, and a golden stupa holds the 16th Karmapa's relics.
Is Rumtek Monastery connected to a dispute?
Yes. Wikipedia describes a long dispute between two groups, each supporting a different candidate as the 17th Karmapa, over the control of the monastery, which went through the Indian courts. Since 2003 Indian security forces have patrolled it. The visitor-facing monastery is open, but check conditions and any rules at the gate.
How far is Rumtek from Gangtok?
Wikipedia gives 24 km and an altitude of about 1,500 m. Our own routed road time, from the town centre, is in the quick facts above and is a better guide on these winding roads. We have no verified opening hours or entry rules, so ask locally before you go.