Peymangtse
Oldest Monastery of the State
General Information
District: South Sikkim, State: Sikkim, India
Area: 0
Languages Spoken: Nepali, Sikkimese, Bhutia, Lepcha, Hindi, English
Importance: Famous for Pemayangtse monastery
Best Time to Visit: March to July
Description
One of the oldest Monasteries in the state, the Pemyangtse monastery was built by Lhatsun Chenpo in the 17th century. The earlier small structure was rebuilt later. It was basically built only for the pure monks who could study and stay here. Located at an altitude of 6840 feet it commands a beautiful panoramic view of the Himalayan ranges and the countryside. This ancient monastery belongs to Nyigma Buddhism and is considered as one of the premier monasteries, entrusted with the task to perform all the religious tasks of the erstwhile monarch.<br />The monastery houses numerous religious idols and other objects of worship, most of which are precious because of their antiquity. On the top floor of the monastery there is a wooden sculpture depicting the Heavenly Palace of the Maha Guru. This masterpiece was created by Dungzin Rimpoche, and it took five years for completion.<br />