Buddhism was born in India, and some of the world’s most beautiful monasteries are here: in the high deserts of Ladakh and Spiti, the tea hills of Darjeeling, the forests of Sikkim, and even in the south. Many follow Tibetan traditions, and several were rebuilt in India by refugees who left Tibet after 1959. Visit one and you will remember the chanting, the butter lamps and the color of the prayer halls long after you leave.
Apart from Sarnath, which is part of one of our weekend trips, these are independent journeys your coordinator can help you plan. The monasteries in the high Himalaya are best visited between late spring and early autumn, and some regions ask foreign visitors to get a permit in advance.
1. Sarnath, near Varanasi
After his enlightenment at Bodh Gaya, the Buddha gave his first teaching in a deer park at Sarnath. The great Dhamek Stupa marks the site, surrounded by temples and monasteries built by Buddhist communities from Tibet, Thailand, Japan and beyond. The Mulagandha Kuti Vihara, opened in 1931, is decorated with murals of the Buddha’s life by the Japanese painter Kosetsu Nosu, and the museum holds Emperor Ashoka’s lion capital, the model for India’s national emblem. Sarnath is included in our Varanasi weekend from Delhi.
2. Tsuglagkhang and Namgyal Monastery, McLeod Ganj
High above Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh, McLeod Ganj is home to the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government in exile. The Tsuglagkhang complex holds the main temple, Namgyal Monastery and the Tibet Museum, and you may find young monks debating in the courtyard, clapping to make their points. Walk the pilgrims’ path around the complex, spinning prayer wheels as you go. Overnight buses from Delhi make it a long-weekend trip.
3. Mindrolling Monastery, Dehradun
The first Mindrolling Monastery was founded in Tibet in 1676; this one was re-established in Dehradun, in the foothills of Uttarakhand, in 1965. Its Great Stupa rises about 56 meters (185 feet), with shrine rooms and murals on each floor, and its gardens are a peaceful place to sit. Dehradun is a few hours from Delhi by train and close to Rishikesh and Mussoorie.
4. Tabo Monastery, Spiti
Founded in 996 by the translator Rinchen Zangpo, Tabo is often described as the oldest monastery in India that has been in continuous use. Its mud-walled temples are filled with murals and painted clay figures so well preserved that it is nicknamed the Ajanta of the Himalayas, and monks once meditated in caves cut into the cliff above. Spiti is a cold mountain desert, so allow time to get used to the altitude.
5. Key Monastery, Spiti
Stacked up a cone-shaped hill above the Spiti River at about 4,166 meters, Key is the largest monastery in the valley and a school for young lamas. It dates back to around the 11th century, and it has survived raids, a fire in the 1840s and an earthquake in 1975, rebuilt each time. Inside are old murals, thangka paintings and manuscripts.
6. Thiksey Monastery, Ladakh
About 19 kilometers from Leh, Thiksey climbs a hillside in tiers of whitewashed buildings that remind many visitors of the Potala Palace in Lhasa. Its Maitreya temple, built to mark the Dalai Lama’s visit in 1970, holds a 15-meter (49-foot) statue of the Future Buddha. Come for the early morning prayers if you can. Leh is a short flight from Delhi, but give yourself a couple of quiet days to adjust to the altitude before you explore.
7. Hemis Monastery, Ladakh
About 45 kilometers from Leh, Hemis is one of the largest and wealthiest monasteries in Ladakh. It belongs to the Drukpa lineage and was re-established in 1672 by the Ladakhi king Sengge Namgyal. Its two-day festival in honor of Guru Padmasambhava, held in June or July, fills the courtyard with masked dancers, drums and long horns.
8. Phugtal Monastery, Zanskar
Built around a cave high in a cliff above a river gorge, Phugtal looks like a honeycomb of white cells spilling out of the rock. For centuries the only way to reach it was a long trek, and although roads now get closer, it is still a serious journey into one of the remotest corners of Ladakh. The Hungarian scholar Alexander Csoma de Kőrös stayed here in 1826–27 while working on the first Tibetan–English dictionary.
9. Ghum Monastery, Darjeeling
Yiga Choeling, better known as Ghum Monastery, was founded in 1850 and is one of the oldest Tibetan Buddhist monasteries around Darjeeling. It houses a 15-foot statue of Maitreya and sits just below Ghum station on the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, the little “toy train” that is a World Heritage Site in its own right. On a clear morning, Kanchenjunga, the world’s third-highest mountain, fills the horizon.
10. Rumtek Monastery, Sikkim
Across the valley from Gangtok, about 24 kilometers by road, Rumtek was rebuilt in the 1960s by the 16th Karmapa after he fled Tibet, as the seat of the Karma Kagyu lineage in exile. Its prayer hall is painted in deep reds, golds and blues, and a golden stupa holds the relics of the 16th Karmapa. Foreign visitors need a permit to enter Sikkim, so check the current rules before you travel.
11. Tawang Monastery, Arunachal Pradesh
India’s largest monastery stands at around 3,000 meters in the far northeast, close to the borders with Bhutan and Tibet. It was founded in 1680–81 in keeping with the wishes of the fifth Dalai Lama, and its library holds old manuscripts of the Tibetan Buddhist scriptures. Getting there means a long, spectacular road journey from Assam, and foreign visitors need a Protected Area Permit for Arunachal Pradesh.
12. Namdroling Monastery, Bylakuppe
Near Kushalnagar in Karnataka, Bylakuppe is one of the largest Tibetan settlements in India. Namdroling began there in 1963 as a small bamboo temple and has grown into the largest teaching center of the Nyingma lineage, home to thousands of monks and nuns. Its gilded prayer hall, known as the Golden Temple, holds towering golden statues of the Buddha, Padmasambhava and Amitayus.
Closer to home
No time for the mountains? If you are volunteering in Delhi, the Tibetan colony of Majnu ka Tilla in the north of the city has a small monastery, prayer flags strung across its lanes, momo cafes and shops selling singing bowls and thangkas. It is a short ride from Vidhan Sabha Metro station, and many of the night buses to McLeod Ganj leave from here.
Visiting a monastery
- Walk clockwise around stupas, temples and prayer wheels.
- Dress modestly, and take off your shoes and hat before entering a prayer hall.
- Ask before you photograph monks, and check whether photos are allowed inside.
- Sit quietly at the back during prayers, and never point your feet at an altar or a statue.
- A small donation is welcome but never expected.
Want to fit one of these into your volunteer trip? See our weekend trips for volunteers, or email info@volunteeringindia.com and our team will help you plan.