Do Drul Chorten and Rumtek Monastery in Gangtok

Do Drul Chorten and Rumtek Monastery are very close to the Gangtok SNT Bus Station. Do Drul Chorten is around 20km (12.8 miles) away from the Rumtek Monastery. Both of Do Drul Chorten and Rumtek Monastery, Gangtok display some of the brilliant architecture of Gangtok and a peaceful environment to acquire peace and harmony. The Do Drul Chorten is a Buddhist stupa situated in Gangtok, Sikkim; the building is situated just adjacent to the Namgyal Institute of Tibetology. On the other hand, the Rumtek Monastery is located in some distance from this stupa.

About Do Drul Chorten Stupa

Trulshik Rinpoche built the Do Drul Chorten Stupa when he was the head of the Nyingma order of Tibetan Buddhism in 1945 CE. The legends have it, that this stupa was haunted once, the entire place was said to have evil spirits who harmed people and death prevailed in this place quite often. So Trulshik Rinpoche visited this place with an intention to build this stupa and drive the evil spirit away.

About Rumtek Monastery

This monastery consists of three-storeyed buildings that house some of the rare religious artwork for Buddhists with murals and thangkas. You will find a large prayer hall in the lower ground with brilliant colossal hand-painted intricate statues, murals, silk paintings, and thangkas. The top floor contains a tiny stupa and a terrace; you will also come across a small shrine in the main building covered traditionally with religious texts.

Quick Glance

Location: Gangtok, Sikkim

Timing:

Do Drul Chorten Stupa: 8:00 am – 6:00 pm

Rumtek Monastery: 6:00am – 6:00 pm

Preferred by: Photo Fanatics, Nirvana Seekers, God Lovers

Time Spent: 1 hour

Entry Fee: INR 10

Type of destination: Historic, heritage

The language spoke: Bhutia, Lepcha, Hindi, English, and Tibetan

Gangtok Do Drul Chorten Architecture

The Do Drul Chorten is popularly known as Phurba. The structure contains a golden dome on top. The deity that is worshipped at top of the stupa is also known as Vajra Kilaya or Dorjee Phurpa. There are two big statues of Guru, and the Chorten is entirely surrounded by the Chorten Lakhang. The stupa was built by the Dud-Zom Rinpoche and a brilliant 108 prayer wheels. The prayer wheels are said to have engraved with Holy Scriptures from the relic and kanjur holy books, some of the wheels also have the whole mantra.

How to Reach Do Drul Chorten, Gangtok?

If you have booked a tour package, Do Drul Chorten will automatically be there. Then you won’t face any problems related to traveling in this location. You can also go for an alternative way and hire a taxi to reach the monastery which is located around 2km (1.2miles) away from Gangtok.

Gangtok Rumtek Architecture

This monastery is built with a traditional design in mind and the main structure reflects this traditional completely. The exterior displays the traditional style and the interior is a brilliant example of Tibetan architecture with a large courtyard in the premises where monks reside. You will find the statues of Vaishravana, Virupaksha, Dhritarashtra, and Virudaka inside the monastery. These idols are considered to be the guardian of the entire universe. There is a small staircase outside the monastery that will directly take you to the famous Nalanda Institute of Higher Buddhist Studies.

How to Reach the Rumtek Monastery, Gangtok?

There are many ways to reach this monastery, you can hire a private cab or go for a more economical transport option by taking a shared vehicle. You can hire a shared vehicle from the Taxi Jeep Service Stand situated in the Hotel Hungry Jack on NH31A. You can also take public buses that regularly run through this route. The route is a perfect one because it will directly drop you below the monastery. From that point, you can take a small walk to reach the entrance of the Rumtek Monastery.

Surrounding Attractions

Apart from Do Drul Chorten and Rumtek Monastery in Gangtok, you will also get to see some of the famous attractions of Gangtok. You can take help from a guide or explore the places yourself
• Enchey monastery
• Ban Jhakri Falls
• Bakthang Waterfalls
• Saramasa Garden
• Ganesh Tok Viewpoint
• Hanuman Tok
• Tashi View Point
• Fambong Lho Wildlife Sanctuary
• Borong
• Ranka Monastery

These locations will give you a complete taste of Sikkim. Each place is famous for its own, and in order to have a smooth journey keep a few travel tips handy.

Travel Tips

• If you are interested in buying some of the souvenirs from this place, then stop where the bus will drop you has numerous stalls where you can buy stuff. They have snacks, hot brew and many refreshments for travelers.
• You will also find pay and use the toilet just outside the main entrance of Do Drul Chorten and Rumtek Monastery in Gangtok, available for both males and females.
• You are suggested to travel with a guide so that you are able to explore the place better.
• You will have to circle the shrine in a clockwise direction and leaving the donation is a customary act.
• You shouldn’t disturb the wildlife or its habitat, you are also not allowed to smoke or drink or even talk loudly inside the monastery.

Etiquettes of Visiting a Monastery

Monks are very calm and peaceful people and it’s important to follow some of the monastery etiquettes when you visit the Gangtok Do Drul Chorten and Rumtek Monastery. Some of the tips are as follows:
• Keep your shoes away before entering a monastery
• Wear modest clothing, cover your head and shoulder to pay respect
• Respect the environment and treat people with respect while you are inside the monastery.
• Be careful with your camera and photography
• Don’t point fingers at any Buddhist statue of any monk, it can be taken as an act of disrespect
• Behave calmly and interact with monks in a respectful manner

These tips will get you through the monastery peacefully. Interacting with the monks is advisable with respect because you will be able to acquire some of their traits that highly reflect patience and harmony.