Enchey Monastery

Highlights

• The Enchey Monastery was established in 1909 above Gangtok, the capital city of Sikkim in the Northeastern Indian state.
• It belongs to the Nyingma order of Vajrayana Buddhism.
• The monastery built around the then small hamlet of Gangtok became a religious centre.
• The literal meaning of Enchey Monastery is the "Solitary Monastery".
• Its sacredness is attributed to the belief that Khangchendzonga and Yabdean – the protecting deities – reside in this monastery.

Dress Code

Modest, respectful clothing is expected at this site.

Festivals

• •Detor Cham is the colourful and vibrant Cham dance festival that is held in the monastery on the 18th and 19th day of the 12th Lunar month of the Tibetan calendar, corresponding to the dates during January/February of the Gregorian calendar.
• •Other festivals observed in the Enchey Monastery are: the Singhe Chaam performed once every three years, Pang Lhabsol commemorating the swearing of blood-brotherhood between the Bhutias and Lepchas in the presence of Khangchendzonga as witness.

Architecture

• •The monastery was first built in the 1840s by the eighth Chogyal and as a result, Gangtok as the small hamlet became a pilgrimage place.
• •However, the monastery as seen now was aesthetically built in 1909, one of the two in Gangtok, like a Chinese Pagoda during the rule of Sikyong Tulku (1909–1910).
• •The monastery was built at the exact location where Lama Druptub Karbo had his hermitage.
• •The monastery is topped by a shining golden cupola.

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