Dubdi Monastery, India

The Dubdi Monastery is a Buddhist monastery in the northeastern region of Sikkim, India. Established in 1701, the monastery was originally known as “Yuksom Monastery” and is thought to be the oldest monastery in Sikkim. The building is located at the top of a hill and is about two miles (3.2 km) from the town of Yuksom. The monastery is 7,000 feet (2,134 m) above sea level and has elaborate paintings and décor inside – including images of saints, divinities and other theistic symbols. The structure is double-storied and is a perfectly square building, facing in a southerly direction. It has two side aisles where a rare collection of manuscripts and other ritual texts are preserved. The name ‘Dubdi’ means ‘the retreat’. Nyingma is a sect of Tibetan Buddhism and is the oldest of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism.

 

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