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The Enchey Monastery is located in Gangtok which is the capital of Sikkim, the Northeastern state of India. The monastery was built in 1909 during the Thutob Namgyal reign. Enchey Monastery literally means "Solitary Monastery". It follows the Vajrayana Budhism's Nyinhma order. The monastery is built around the then small village of Gangtok which has now developed into a religious place.
History: The location where Enchey is built was blessed by Lama Dhruptob Kapro who was a tantric master and was well-known for his supremacy of flying. It is said that after flying from Maenam Hill which is situated in the south, Lama Dhruptob Kapro reached this place where he established a small village. Years later in the reign of Sikyong Tulku, the present monastery was built in the shape of a Chinese Pagoda around this village.
Architecture: Enchey Monastery has a glittering golden cupola. The four pillars which support the roof are beautifully carved. The windows are painted and are richly carved. The walls of the huge prayer hall are completely covered with the paintings and murals of the galaxy of the Mahayan Buddhist God and Goddesses, the four religious kings and the deities of the four directions which are stated in the scriptures. The deities which are worshipped here are the Buddha, Guru Padmasambhava and Loki Sharia. The monastery also has a large collection of the images of Goddesses, Gods, masks which are used in the ritual dances and many other religious objects.
Since Enchey was built under Nyingma order it shelters 90 monks. The colorful prayer flags which are around monastery create a serene atmosphere. The annual puja is hosted on the 18th and 19th days of the twelfth month according to the lunar calendar. On these two days the monks participate in the Mask dance which is also known as "Chaam" which basically show various different mythological stories.
Travel Route:
- Airway: The nearest airport is Bagdogra which is in West Bengal approximately 124 kms away. Regular flights are available from here to Delhi, Guwahati and Calcutta. Gangtok is connected to Bagdogra by helicopter service.
- Railway: The two nearest railway stations to Enchey are New Jalpaiguri which is 125 km away and Siliguri which is 114 km away.
- Roadway: Since Gangtok is the capital of Sikkim it has well-connected roads to all the major places. Regular taxi and bus services are easily available.
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