Known for handicrafts, incense and carpet factories as well as monasteries, Bylekuppe is one of the largest settlements of Tibetans in the southern part of the country. The most important of monasteries here include Sera Mey and the Great Gompa of Sera Jey. Also located here is the Mahayana Buddhist University with an enormous prayer hall. In the neighbouring settlement is Tashi Lhunpo, which is known as the seat of the Panchen Lama. This place is most famously associated with the Namdrolig Nyingmapa Monastery, which is the largest teaching centre of Nyingmapa, the lineage of Tibetan Buddhism in the world. It was founded by His Holiness Pema Norby Rinpoche in 1963 as the second seat of the Palyul Monastery (one of the six great Tibet Nyingma Mother monasteries). It is located about 90 km from Mysuru.