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DHUBDI MONASTERY 
Spreading
the sublime teachings of the Lord Buddha -Perched on forest-clad spurs,
beneath the eternal snows, and hoary with age, stand some of
Sikkim's 67, Monasteries.
The oldest is the Dhubdi Monastery or the Hermit's Cell, being the first
to the south of the Kanchenjunga, clad with
firs and weeping cypresses, the mountain sides make an impressive
background for the temples and convents built atop a lofty hill.
THE PAIMIONCHI MONASTERY - THE SUBLIME PERFECT LOTUS
One the old capital of Sikkim, the ruins of the old palace, that scatter
the area, speaks in their eloquent silence of a regal age. Great not only
in its antiquity, but also in sanctity, the monastery walls and ceilings
are painted with brilliant hued frescoes of Gods and demons.
TSUK-LA-KHANG MONASTERY
This monastery is located in the palace premises near the ridge in
Gangtok. It is two storied and was used
during royal functions like weddings and coronations. The Phang Labsol and
the Lossang festivals are celebrated in
the ground adjacent to the monastery once-every year with the performance
of the Chaams or the masked dances.
more...
PHODONG AND LABRANG
Phodong, 38-km north of Gangtok on the
Mangan road, is another living monastery
but a far less ostentatious one. Lying on a spur of the hill 1km above the
main road, and commanding superb views, it consists of a simple square
main temple, plus several houses and residential quarters. Built in the
early 18th century, this was Sikkim's pre-eminent Kagyu monastery until
the growth of Rumtek each December. A
rough road leads a further 4-km up to another renovated old monastery -
the unusual octagonal labrang. A cluster of chortens between these two
monasteries marks the ruins of Tumlong, Sikkim's capital city for most of
the 19th century.
ENCHEY MONASTERY 
An
important seat of the Nyingma order, the Enchey Monastery meaning the
Solitary temple, was originally built with the solace that no other
construction would be allowed near it is built on the site blessed by Lama
Druptob Karpo, a Tantric master known for his flying powers.
This 200-year-old Monastery has in its premises images of God, Goddesses
and other religious objects. The present monastery was built in the shape
of a Chinese Pagoda. Following the Nyingma order, it has around 90 monks.
The annual ritual is celebrated with 'Chaam' or religious masked dance on
the 18th &19th days of the twelfth month of the lunar calendar around
January.
