Monasteries & Nunneries

Jangchub Choeling, popularly known as the Gyang-gong Ani Gonpa, is a nunnery situated at a distance of about 10 kms. north-west of Tawang monastery.  It is built on a middle slope of a hill surrounded by pristine beauty.  Legend has it that Merak Lama Lodroe Gyatso had a sister who was a nun.  As no woman could reside in the Tawang monastery, he constructed a meditation cave for his sister.  She was provided provisions from the Tawang monastery.  As the number of nuns residing in the meditation retreat constructed by Merak Lama for his sister increased with the passage of time, it eventually turned into a nunnery and came to be known as Jangchub Choeling / Gyangong Ani gonpa.

2. Bramadung Chung Ani Gompa

The Bramadung Chung Ani-Gompa which is situated around 10 kilometers away from the Tawang monastery is said to be the oldest Ani-Gompa of Tawang was said to be constructed by lama Karchen Yeshi Gelek of Tibet during the 16^th century. This ani gonpa is situated at a much secluded place and is inhabited by around forty five anis. The anis sustain on donations and offerings from the devotees and are not getting any direct support from the Tawang monastery. The Ani-gompa is easily accessible by road.

3. Urgelling Gompa

About five kilometres southeast of Tawang township, by the national highway is the Urgelling monastery founded by Ugyen Sangpo. It is said that the temple, was initially quite modest in construction.  However, when the royal father was at his deathbed, he wished that the gonpa be renovated. Unfortunately, the enlarged monastery was sacked around 1714,by the Dzongar Mongols, who were averse to the Nyingmapa sect, during the course of a campaign against Bhutan.The present Urgylling gompa is a modest one, of a little more than 180 square metres in plinth area.  It is a double storied structure.   Rows of prayer-wheels are set in niches almost all along the outer walls of the temple.  The northern side of the ground floor houses nine chortens. There is a two-tiered altar housing the statues of Buddha Shakyamuni as the chief image, the Sixth Dalai Lama, Je Yabse sum, twenty-one Taras, Maitreya, The Fifth Dalai Lama and other divinities along with beautiful Murals and Thangka paintings adorning the inner walls.Every year on the 6^th of July, the birthday of the 14^th Dalai Lama is celebrated with great fanfare at the Gompa, by the locals.

4. Khinmey Monastery

Khinmey Nyingma Monastery also known as Sang-ngag-choekhorling, is located in the village of Khinmey near the headquarters of the Tawang District in Arunachal Pradesh. The name Khinmey comes from the Monpa word Khi-Ket-Nyan-Mey, literally meaning a place for listening to the sound of barking dogs. Legend has it that before the establishment of the Khinmey Monastery, the area was covered by a thick forest teeming with wild animals. Hunters let loose their dogs in the forest and followed their dogs by listening to their barks. Story has it that one day while hunting Sonam Rinchin, a legendary hunter from Yubu village, met Rev. Kundun Sange Yeshe, the founder of the monastery, who was meditating in the vicinity. He (soon,) gave up hunting and became an ardent disciple of Rev. Kundun Sange Yeshe. The area belonged to Sonam Rinchin and he offered it for the establishment of the monastery.

 As a result the Khinmey Nyingma monastery was founded by Rev. Kundun Sange Yeshe, the first Thegtse Rinpoche in the year 1440 AD. He was one of the most brilliant disciples of the Great Guru Terton Pema Lingpa. After receiving and comprehending the essence of Buddha Dharma from him, Rinpoche migrated at Khinmey for meditation. It was during the course of that meditation that Sonam Rinchin had offered the land for the establishment of the monastery. Since then all the reincarnations of Thegtse Rinpoche have been receiving the rich Mindrolling tradition and preserving and propagating mainly in the region. His Eminence the 14th Thegtse Rinpoche, Gyurmey Losel Gyatso (present Rinpoche) received all the traditions of the Nyingma sect, especially the Mindrolling traditions from H.H The 11th Mindolling Trichen.The 14th Thegtse Rinpoche [Present Rinpoche] with the motivation to instill the Buddhist system of knowledge and more particularly of the Tantric tradition instituted the large community of monks. The monastery has undergone several reconstructions to give compatible accommodations to rising number of the monk students. At present, more than hundred monk students from Monpas, Bhutanese and Indian Nepalese communities have been studying both the ancient Buddhist classics and modern subjects under the guidance of the Rinpoche. For his distinguished service to the society, the Rinpoche was conferred with the Padma Award, in the category of “Padma Shri” by the Govt. of India, this year.

5. Sarong Gompa

The Sarong Gompa was founded by the 1^st Sarong Rinpoche, who traces himself back to Phuntsok Drakpa of Shyaro village, a monk of the Tawang Monastery. This was most likely after the 1714 Tibet-Bhutan war, when Lajang Khan’s armies passed through Tawang to Bhutan. Due to his regret in leading the army, Phuntsok Drakpa decided to remain in retreat in the Sarong valley for the rest of his life. The present Sarong Gonpa, alias Tashi Samten Choeding Gompatse, was built in 1813 by the 3^rd Sarong Rinpoche, Tenpa Rinchen. The present 5^th Sarong Rinpoche is based at Sarong Gonpa.

6. Baggajang Gompa

Baggajang gonpa is situated 18 km south of Sela Pass.  In the guidebook written by Lopon Rigzin Thinley of Druk Tsong-Tsong it is written that “It is one of the holiest places in Lho Mon and is regarded as the second “Tsari’. This holy site has some extraordinary holy lakes like the plar-tsang (Soul Lake) of Dorjee Phagmo, plar-tsang of Lhamo, plar-tsang of Rigsum Gonpo, etc. Many mystical stories like seeing burning butter-lamps, apparition of gonpa, fluttering religious flags, etc. are woven around these lakes.The Gompa has images of Lopon Rinpoche with his consorts, Vajrayogini of human size, Avalokestesvara, Green Tara, White Tara etc.

7. Kushang Nang

It is the home of Gyalyum Tsewang Lhamo, the royal mother of Gyalwa Tsangyang Gyatso, His Holiness,the VIth Dalai Lama. The home is about 15 km from the main town in Bekhar under Kitpi Circle.  The house still preserves some antiques associated with the 6^th Dalai Lama and his family. At the moment the house is under the renovation and a new Gompa is also being constructed beside the house in which all the antiques would be displayed for the tourists and pilgrims.