Pemayangtse Monastery

Built for Ta Sangs (pure Tibetian monks) in 1705, this three-storeyed monastery is one of the most renowned in the state of Sikkim. It started with a small shrine called ‘Tsangkhang’, which was founded by Lhatsun Chhenpo between 1650 and 1651 AD. This shrine was later shifted to the present site and re-established in 1705 by Chhogyal Chhagdor Namgyal and Lama Khanchhen Rolpai Dorje (first head lama of Pemayangtse Gompa). A small religious structure near the entrance has a sacred statue of Dorje Phagmo (Vajra Varahi) that was given to Chogyal Gyurmed Namgyal by Terton Terdag Lingpa of Tibet as a gift upon marrying his daughter.

The main festival here is Guru Drakmar chham that is celebrated in winter in the months of February through March. With more than 100 monks at present, the Pemayangtse Monastery is considered to be the parent of all the monasteries following the Mindroling lineage in Sikkim.