Ghoom Monastery (Yiga Choeling)

Overview

Yiga Choeling Monastery, known as Ghoom Monastery, is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery of the Gelug (Yellow Hat) school near Darjeeling. It was founded in 1850 by the lama Sherab Gyatso and is one of the oldest monasteries of the region.

Its prayer hall holds a large statue of Maitreya, the future Buddha, about 15 feet high, and many old Buddhist manuscripts. It stands close to Ghum station on the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway.

What to look for

• The giant Maitreya statue
• The painted walls and thangka paintings
• Prayer flags and the chorten outside
• Monks at prayer in the morning

Visiting tips

• Dress modestly and remove your shoes inside.
• Check whether photography is allowed in the prayer hall.
• It pairs with the Batasia Loop and the toy train at Ghum.

Why visit with a private guide

A private guide shows you where to stand, when to arrive and what most visitors miss at Ghoom Monastery (Yiga Choeling), and fits the visit around the rest of your day.

More photographs

Nearby

Tea Garden Toy Train Rumtek Monastery Deolo Hill Zang Dhok Palri Tiger Hill Enchey Monastery Batasia Loop Tsomgo Lake Mg Marg