Tholung Monastery
Tholung Monastery (Tibetan: ཋོལུང་དགོན་པ་, Wylie: Tho Lung dgon pa) is a gompa located in remote upper Dzongu, in the buffer zone of Khangchendzonga National Park. It is considered one of the most sacred monasteries in Sikkim. Tholung literally means Areasima place or Areasima country.[1]
This gompa was originally constructed during the beginning of 18th century by
It follows the
History
Tholung was revealed as a sacred place by 4th Lhatsun, Kunzang Jigmed Gyatso in 1760. In 1789, Pema Dechhen Gyatso constructed a monastery at this site. It possesses ancient
During the reign of Chogyal
After Nepalese invasion, Gyatso traveled to Tibet where he selected two monks, Tagye Tshampo and Jo Tshongpon, to watch over the relics. The two briefly settled at Wolung, Nepal before being redirected to Tholung by Lama Gyatso. The descendants of these monks continued to look after the relics as curators prior to the 1940s. Thereafter, the Ecclesiastical Department of the Government of Sikkim assumed this responsibility.
Because of the region's cold and moist climate, the relics are removed from their boxes for ventilating and sunning each three years in a ceremony known as ‘Kamsil’ by the Department of Ecclesiastical. In Kamsil, the relics are distributed to the worshipers. The current structure was reconstructed in 1980, as the old structure was becoming decrepit.[1]
Location
Tolung Monastery situated at an altitude of 8,000 feet (2.4 km) ft and lies inside of Khangchendzonga National Park,
References
- ^ a b c "Tholung Monastery (1789 A.D)". Department of Ecclesiastical Affairs, Government of Sikkim. Department of Information Technology Government of Sikkim. Archived from the original on 15 April 2017. Retrieved 14 April 2017.
- ^ a b "Tholung Monastery Trekking - 10 Days". Alpine Adventure Club. Alpine Adventure Club Treks & Expedition. Retrieved 14 April 2017.
- ^ "Khangchendzonga National Park: Tholung monastery in the buffer zone of KBR". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 14 April 2017.