Tawang Monastery

The Tawang Monastery was founded by Merek Lama Lodre Gyamsto, with the help of the local people, in 1680-81 at the request of the 5th Dalai Lama. According to Pandit Nain Singh, who visited the monastery in 1874-75, the monastery had a parliamentary form of administration, known as the Kato, with the Chief Lamas of the monastery as its members.

Under the Shimla Agreement of 1913-14, the whole of Tawang and the monastery which earlier belonged to Tibet was given to the Britishers. After this, China invaded India On 20 October 1962 and occupied Tawang including the monastery for six months. In 1959, Dalai Lama escaped Tibet, and after an arduous journey, he reached the monastery. He stayed there for few days before leaving for Tezpur. On 8 November 2009, despite loud protests from the Chinese, the Dalai Lama's visit to the monastery was a crucial moment for the local people.

1. Entrance and outer walls: The colourful entrance of Tawang monastery, built in the shape of a hut is known as the Kakaling. The roof of the Kakaling features mandalas, while murals of divinities and saints have been painted on the interior walls. Ahead of the main gate of the Kakaling, towards its south, is another entry, an open gate. The main entrance, to the south of the open gate, has massive doors fitted on the northern wall which is 925 feet in length and has a height varying between 10–20 feet. Apart from the main gate, the southern side of the monastery has another entry gate with a massive door. According to a legend, Dalai Lama had given a roll of thread to be bound by the walls of the monastery to denote the extent to which it should be built.

2. Main buildings: The triple storeyed monastery has a large assembly hall, ten other functional structures and 65 residential quarters for students, Lamas and monks. It also has a school, its water supply facility and a centre for Buddhist cultural studies. The ground floor of the monastery is where ritual dances are performed. Even the curtains are painted with beautiful Buddhist symbols. Apart from the residential buildings, the abbot of the monastery resides in a house located near the gate at the south-eastern corner. A striking feature of the front porch's wall on the ground floor is a footprint on a stone slab. It is believed that this footprint belonged to Chitenpa, a resident of the monastery who was a water carrier. This step is venerated as a miracle because of the belief among the local people that such an imprint on a stone slab could only be created by a divine person.

3. Main temple or Dukhang: To the west of the entry gate, there is the main temple of the monastery known as the Dukhang ('Du' means "assembly" and 'Khang' means "building). Built in 1860-61, it houses a huge 18 feet image of Buddha in a lotus position, elegantly decorated and adorned. Constructed over a platform, its height extends up to the first floor. Next to the Buddha image there is a silver casket that holds a special thangka of the goddess Sro Devi (Palden Lhamo), the guardian deity of the monastery. This thangka image, also known as Dri Devi, was donated to the monastery by the 5th Dalai Lama. After being dilapidated, the main temple was renovated in traditional Buddhist style.

4. Library: The Tawang monastery also has a huge library on the second floor which consists of translated Buddhist scriptures and books on Buddhist teachings. The books are used mostly by the literate Monpa Lamas who refer to it for conducting religious rituals. There is also a printing press which uses locally made paper for printing religious books.

The major festivals held in the Tawang monastery are Choksar, Losar, Ajilamu, and Torgya. Choksar is the festival in which the Lamas recite religious scriptures. The villagers carry the scriptures on their back and walk around their agricultural land and pray for a good yield. The Losar festival is celebrated to mark the beginning of the Tibetan New Year.

Torgya, also known as Tawang-Torgya, is an annual festival held mainly in the monastery. The objective of the festival is to seek protection from evil spirits and pray for the prosperity and happiness of the people in the next year. During the three-day festival, dance performances, by artists in colourful costumes and masks are held in the courtyard. Losjer Chungiye, the famous dance style is performed by the monks of the monastery.

Read more about Losar - Tibetan New Year

The ideal time to visit Tawang Monastery is from March to September. In summers, the weather is pleasant with no blistering sun. The temperature lingers between 10 to 21 degrees Celsius which is perfect for outdoor activities. Monsoons, which start from July and last until September, also provide fantastic opportunity to explore Tawang. Winters season, however, is not apt for sightseeing since the weather is extremely harsh. The temperature drops below 0 degrees and snowfall can interrupt your plans.

Tawang Monastery is located in Cona, in the Tawang district of Arunachal Pradesh. It can be reached by booking a taxi for half a day. Alternatively, you can also explore the place on foot.