Everyone Loves best Monastery(Gumba) Visit to Pokhara

A monk greeted us at the monastery and welcomed us to enjoy the temple. It was a beautiful temple with many Buddha statues and wonderful paintings..

1. Shree Gaden Dhargay Ling Monastery

Shree Gaden Dhargay Ling Monastery is  located at Pokara Metropolitan ward No.17 chhorepatan (shital path)Kaski,Nepal.It is 4.5km south from Prithivi chowk and 4.7km south from lakeside.you will get 10 to 15 minutes by taxi and 20 minutes by public buses. Situated in the separated tranquil condition away from the every day surge of life,this religious community is probably the best spot to loosen up yourself while inundating yourself into a rich Buddhist culture. Additionally, the Monastery is one of the huge Buddhist lessons and Tibetan Buddhism impacted cloister in Nepal.

 A peaceful environment, quite secluded from the rush of the daily life, immersed in a slow easy going aura of its own. It’s one of the major proprietors of Buddhist teachings and Tibetan influence in the country.Visitors and tourist are welcome to sit at the hour long prayer ceremony, given that you follow the instructions and maintain the level of decency required. Many encounters of tourists attending this prayer ceremony have tagged it as enchanting, spine chilling and an experience like no other. Situated inside the Tashiling refugee camp, on the outskirts of Pokhara. The refugee camp houses Tibetan refugees from times as early as the 1950’s, there is an entire generation of kids born and bought up in Nepal  who have only heard stories about Tibet and hold it close to their hearts but call Nepal their homes.  Shree Gaden dhargay ling Monastery situated in this camp adds up to the overwhelming atmosphereof the entire camp in itself. A free Tibetan refugee camp, an irony but a world within itself.

Brief history of Shree Gaden Dhargay Ling Monastery

Drogon Kundup Sherab established the original Shree Gaden Dhargay Ling Monastery inToe Sa Ka District of Western Tibet during the 16th Century. Initially under the Kagyu tradition, the monastery fell under the Gelugpa tradition during the reign of the 5th Dalai Lama Ngawang Lobsang Gyatso when for the first time a Dalai Lama assumed both spiritual and temporal leadership of Tibet.

Drogon Kundup Sherab, who was an emanation of Avalokiteshvara, was born in Lhagthang Menchu in Western Tibet. His father’s name was Chagthang Lhagonpa. Shree Gaden Dhargay Ling Monastery was a great center of Buddhist learning of the Gelug tradition from the time of the 7th Dalai Lama Kalsang Gyatso, and has since been under the abbotship of the lineage of high Gyuto Tantric University Lamas. Tibetan King, Gaden Tsewang, entrusted themonastery with the formidable task of being the source of spiritual protection and blessings for the neighboring Mongolians.

Back in 1973, the Council for Religious Affairs of His Holiness the Dalai Lama has sent a few monks for the land settlement at Pokhara. Due to limited transportation, many goods and material of the monastery was left behind in Mustang. However, in 1974, the monastery got robbed, and all the valuable objects and prayer materials were taken away.

Later in 1983, the head lama from Norgyaling settlement in India, Ven. Tulku Lobsang Jamyang conferred with the senior monks and camp leaders to plan for the construction of a small Gompa to practice the principles of Dharma with the noble wishes of His Majesty’s great proposal “Nepal a zone of peace” for world peace.Donations were raised from individuals in and outside Nepal to protect fugitives as well as tradition & culture of the monastery. With the generous donations, the locationand plan were proposed for the construction of the Shree Gaden Dhargay Ling Monastery.

Monastery in 1984. Then construction has begun and many immigrants have voluntarily joined.In 1984, mid-November the final work of Shree Gaden Dhargay Ling Monastery was completed. The monastery was inaugurated by the Zonal Commissioner of Gandaki Anchal Shri, Khadha Bahadur G.G. and also joined by the representative of the religious council, Dharamsala, and local dignitaries. After that Shree Gaden Dhargay Ling Monastery was standing proudly and presenting their rich culture to hundreds of people from all around the globe.

Some interesting facts about Shree Gaden Dhargay Ling Monastery

1. In the wake of Chinese invasion and occupation of Tibet, the monks of the monastery in Tibet had to flee to their neighboring country of Nepal who later on established Shree Gaden Dhargay Ling Monastery.
2. Just in front to the east of the Shree Gaden Dhargay Ling Monastery,A few living rooms was built, which accommodate a common kitchen, a small classroom, and library.
3. The original Shree Gaden Dhargay Ling Monastery was established by Drogon Kundup Sherab in Toe Sa Ka District of Western Tibet during the 16th Century. 

 2. Jangchub Choeling Monastery

Jangchub Choeling Monastery  is  located at Pokara Metropolitan ward no.25 Hemja,Kaski,Nepal.It is 8.8km north from Prithivi chowk and 9.5km north from lakeside.you will get 25 to minutes by taxi and 30 to 40 minutes by public buses.Linked with Pokhara-Baglung highway,Hemja offers a regular public bus serives from Ghattekhola to Harichowk.People can catch buses across the Kande-Prithivi chowk routw as well and when you across the Yamdi pool and 1km away from there after get off the bus in 3 minutes and take left  go straight alone and take right and you get your distinations.Jangchub Choeling Monastery is one of the most prominent and old monasteries in Pokhara. In 1967, Jangchub Choeling Monastery was officially established under the guidance of Lama Dupsing Rinpoche by HH the 14th Dalai Lama. Over the years, the monastery was continuously expanded with increasing the facilities.

At first, there were only 35 monks who reside in the Jangchub Choeling Monastery, but this monastery has become home to hundreds of monks. Over the past several years, the Jangchub Choeling Monastery has become able to collect and store many volumes of Kagyu texts and Tengyur (commentary by the Indian Buddhist Masters).

history of Jangchub Choeling Monastery

Before in 1963, HH the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa asked Lama Dupseng Rinpoche to move to Pokhara in order to suffice the religious requirements of the locals residing there. He moved there, and a small monastery was built for carrying Buddhist rites and ceremonies. Slowly as the number of devoteesbegins to grow many guardians began to Lama Dupseng Rinpoche to ordain their sons as monks.

Later in 1967, HH the 14th Dalai Lama named the monastery, Jangchub Choeling Monastery and officially ran the monastery under the direction of Lama Dupseng Rinpoche. After three years the Lama Dupseng Rinpoche moved the monastery to its current location in order to expand the area and improve the facility. However, in 1976 soon after the transfer of the monastery, Lama Dupseng Rinpoche died and left the newly inaugurated monastery without a guide and a certain future.

Then, in 1978, HH the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa appointed Shangpa Rinpoche who was 23 years old back then.He was made Chief Abbot of the monastery. After a few years, H.E. Kunzig Shamar Rinpoche requested Shangpa Rinpoche to be the resident Rinpoche for Singapore for the benefit of the Buddhists there. Since then Shangpa Rinpoche begins to travel to Singapore and many Karma Kagyud Centers in South East Asia.In 1991, the shrine hall was built and H.E Kunzig Shamar Rinpoche inaugurated the monastery once again.However, the place for prayer is not enough for monks to acquire a full intelligence of the Buddhist belief. Therefore donations were asked to establish a Buddhist educational institute. In 1996, December,the Vikrama Shila Buddhist Institute was completed, and one more project was under construction. Another project was to build large dormitory rooms to give place to all the monks, which was completed in 1998, January.

Things to know about Jangchub Choeling Monastery

1. The Shrine Hall: Shrine Hall presents the traditional Tibetan architecture even though built up by using modern building materials. Inside the hall is a, you will see a statue of Buddha, which is a 7-foot talland plated with copper & gold.
2. On the back of the statute is 1000 small Buddha figures representing the 1000 Buddhas believed to exist in this 'Fortunate Era'.
3. On the wall, you will find paintings that portray the life of Buddha from birth to Nirvana. These paintings were made by the Tibetan artist Mr. Dhawa.
4. In the right and left side of the entranceway, you will see pictures of the six ornaments and two supreme ones that beautify Buddha's instructions.
5. On the walls facing the Buddha figures are portraits of the 16 Arhats who supported Buddha's education after he passed away.
6. The second floor of the Shrine Hall is kept as residence and meeting place of the Chief Abbot Shangpa Rinpoche.
7. The third floor is home to the chapel for the Lineage Masters. You will see artistic clay figures and images ofthe Lineage Masters of the Kagyudpa Traditions inside of the chapel.
8. The chapel also holds 102 volumes of the Kagyur (Buddha's word) and 215 volumes of the Tengyur (commentary by theIndian Buddhist Masters).