Dubdi Monastery

Dubdi is also regarded as Yuksum (Yuksom) Monastery and belongs to the Nyingma sect of Tibetan Buddhism. Established in 1701 by Chogyal Namgyal, it is considered to be the oldest monastery in the state. The word 'Dubdi' in the vernacular tongue means retreat. The monastery is a two-storeyed structure made of stone. It is situated at an altitude of 2,100 m and has an elaborately painted interior. One can find images of divinities, saints and a collection of manuscripts inside. There are two aisles where rare collections of manuscripts and religious texts are preserved. The monastery has an important historical connotation as it is linked to the founding of the state at Yuksum (Yuksom) in the mid 17th century by Lhetsum Chenpo and his two associate lamas. The monastery provides a magnificent bird's eye view and enables visitors to witness cupressus funebris, a species of cypress brought by Latshen Chem Po from Kham village in Tibet.