Palchen Choeling Monastery

Sikkim

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A spectacular feast of coloured walls and gilded roofs, this 1995 monastery temple is set in a wide courtyard with swastika-patterned tiling and contains a superb, two-storey-high golden Buddha with an iridescent-blue alms bowl.

Some 10.5km northwest of Ravangla, the monastic complex is home to more than 300 monks along with Gyaltsap Rinpoche, one of the top figures and in Kagyu Buddhism.

Taxis will want around ₹1000 return to show you both Palchen Choeling and Old Ralang gompas. For photos, morning light is best.

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