Ghoom Monastery

Ghoom Monastery

Situated at an altitude of 8,000 feet, 8 km south of town is one of the holiest and better known of Darjeeling?s monasteries ? the Sampten Choling or the Ghum Monastery. Built in 1875 by Lama Sherab Gyatso, one of the chief features of the monastery is the 15 ft tall statue of the Maitreya Buddha (Coming Buddha), resplendent in gold polish and embedded with precious stones. Thangkas adorn the ancient walls and you will find a rare collection of books on Buddhism as well as Tibetan translations of great Sanskrit works here. Amongst the Buddhist texts available are the Kangyur, the Buddhist Tibetan canon running into 108 volumes. With its high altitude and misty surroundings, the interiors of the monastery often seem dark and ancient giving it its sobriquet of the Gloom monastery!