Mindrolling Monastery

Uttarakhand


The region around Dehra Dun is home to a thriving Tibetan Buddhist community, mainly focused on this attractive monastery, about 10km south of the centre in Clement Town. Everything here is on a grand scale: at more than 60m tall its Great Stupa is believed to be the world’s tallest and contains a series of shrine rooms displaying relics, murals and Tibetan art. Presiding over the monastery is the impressive 35m-high gold Sakyamuni Buddha Statue, dedicated to the Dalai Lama.

It's also home to one of the largest Buddhist institutes in the world. The streets around the monastery are lined with Tibetan cafes. Unfortunately, due to government regulations, foreigners are no longer allowed to stay overnight in Clement Town. Take vikram 5 from the city centre (₹20). An autorickshaw costs about ₹250.