The Do Drul Chorten, an enormous stupa in Gangtok town was built in 1946 by a teacher of the 14th Dalai Lama, Trulshik Rinpoche. The pearly white dome of the stupa with its shiny golden spire is dedicated to an important deity of in the Nyingma Order of Tibetan Buddhism known as Vajrakilaya or Dorjee Rinpoche.
A familiar story claims that the site of Do Drul Chorten before the stupa was built was plagued with evil spirits who haunt the lives of all those who tried to venture out into this area. However, the Trushik Rinpoche who came from Tibet built his monastery here in the early 1940s and drove the evil entities.
What to see
The stupa is surrounded by a cluster of 108 prayer wheels with sacred mantras carved on them. Several important holy Kangyur manuscripts and relics connected with Dorje Phurba are carefully preserved inside it. These include a complete collection of mandala sets of Dorjee Rinpoche and Zurma mantras. The complex also has a few smaller stupas, one of them is Jang Jhap Chorten, dedicated to the Trulshik Rinpoche. Two giant statues of Guru Padmasambhava stand tall in the Chorten Lakhang area of the stupa. The complex is usually filled with tourists and monks from the nearby Tibetology institute.
When to reach
Gangtok’s weather is at its best during spring i.e between March to May and autumn i.e between September to October. Days are clear, sunny, and breezy.
Although mountain lovers head to Sikkim almost all year through except during monsoons. Winter months of November and December, though slightly chilly, bring out a different kind of beauty from the hills.
How to reach
The Do Drul Chorten within the town of Gangtok in the Deorali area is an easy walk from the main town. However, if you’re not too keen on walking, several cabs are available in town to bring you here. The Namgyal Insitute of Tibetology built by another revered lama, the Dodhrubchen Rinpoche is at a walking distance from the stupa.
