View source for Ghum Monastery

{{Short description|Popular name of Yiga Choeling}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2017}}
{{Infobox Tibetan Buddhist monastery
|name = Ghoom Monasteries
|image = Yiga Choeling Monastery, Ghum 02.jpg
|image size =
|alt = 
|caption = Yiga Choeling Monastery
|pushpin_map = India West Bengal
|coordinates = {{coord|27|0|42|N|88|15|1|E|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
|map_caption = Location within India

|location_country = 
|location=  [[Ghum, West Bengal|Ghum]], [[West Bengal]], [[India]]
|founded_by = Lama Sherab Gyatso
|founded = 1875
|date_renovated = 
|sect =  [[Gelug]]
|lineage=
|dedicated_to =
|head_lama = 
|no._of_monks =
|architecture = 
|colleges=
|festivals= 
|footnotes = 
}}
{{Tibetan Buddhism}}
'''Old Ghoom Monastery''' is the popular name of '''Yiga Choeling'''. The monastery belongs to the Gelukpa or the Yellow Hat sect and is known for its {{convert|15|ft|m}}-high statue of the [[Maitreya Buddha]]. The external structure of the building was established in 1850 by the Mongolian astrologer and monk [[Sokpo Sherab Gyatso]], who was head of the monastery until 1905.

In 1909, Kyabje Domo Geshe Rinpoche Ngawang Kalsang, popularly called Lama [[Domo Geshe Rinpoche]], succeeded Sherab Gyatso as the head. It was he who commissioned the statue of the Maitreya Buddha, and he remained head until 1952.

During the [[Annexation of Tibet by the People's Republic of China|Chinese occupation of 1959 in Tibet]] many high ranking abbots fled to India and took refuge in the monastery. In 1961, [[Dhardo Rimpoche]] became head of the Yiga Choeling monastery Ghoom, Darjeeling. He died in 1990 and three years later, a boy named Tenzin Legshad Wangdi was recognised as his reincarnation.

On 25 April 1996, he was enthroned at Kalimpong Tibetan ITBCI school. The thirteenth in the line of [[Tulku]]s, Tenzin Legshad Wangdi, still goes by the name of Dhardo Tulku. He is studying Tibetan Philosophy at [[Drepung Loseling University]] in South India.

Under the supervision of Dhardo Rimpoche, the Managing Committee was set up in order to improve the monastery. Some of the initiatives have been successful, others not.

For the last two decades, the monastery has been going through severe crises in terms of both monks and finance. Till now, the grants-in-aid entitled to the monastery have not been received either from the government nor from any other source. Presently the monastery is meeting its needs through donations and contributions from local devotees.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://yigachoeling.com/about|title = Yiga Choeling Monastery, Ghoom &#124; About}}</ref>

==Samten Choeling==
The Samten Choeling monastery lies below the road and is today less visited by local people due to various religious beliefs and confusion.{{clarify|date=August 2017}}<ref name = "Guide">Agarwala, A.P. (editor), ''Guide to Darjeeling Area'', 27th edition, p. 78, {{ISBN|81-87592-00-1}}.</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.darjeelingnews.net/religious_shrines.html | title = Religious shrines around Darjeeling | accessdate = 2007-07-03 | last =  | first =  | publisher = darjeelingnews.net | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070703023030/http://www.darjeelingnews.net/religious_shrines.html | archive-date = 3 July 2007 | url-status = dead }}</ref><ref name = "Monastery">{{cite web | url = http://www.exploredarjeeling.com/monaster.htm | title = Monasteries in Darjeeling | accessdate = 2007-07-03 | last =  | first =  | publisher = exploredarjeeling.com | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070527213118/http://www.exploredarjeeling.com/monaster.htm | archive-date = 27 May 2007 | url-status = dead }}</ref>

The monastery, which was built in 1875 by Lama Sherab Gyatso, follows the [[Gelug]] school of [[Tibetan Buddhism]].<ref name = "Guide"/> Amongst the Buddhist texts available are the [[Kangyur]], the [[Tibetan Buddhist canon]], running into 108 volumes. The monks fly prayer flags in the Tibetan tradition.<ref name = "Guide"/><ref name = "Monastery"/>

==Gallery==
<gallery mode="packed">
Yiga Choeling Monastery, Ghum 01.jpg|Gate of Yiga Choeling Monastery
Yiga Choeling Monastery, Ghum 41.jpg|Garuda at Yiga Choeling Monastery
Yiga Choeling Monastery, Ghum 06.jpg|Maitreya Buddha in Yiga Choeling Monastery
Ghoom Monastery.jpg|Samten Choeling monastery
Darjeeling_Ghum_Monastery1.jpg|Maitreya Buddha in Samten Choeling monastery
Buddhist Temple Darjeeling West Bengal India (5).JPG|Chortens
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{commonscat}}
{{Darjeeling}}
{{Buddhist monasteries in West Bengal}}

[[Category:Gelug monasteries and temples]]
[[Category:Buddhist monasteries in Darjeeling district]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Darjeeling]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Darjeeling]]
[[Category:Religious organizations established in 1875]]
[[Category:Maitreya]]
[[Category:Tibetan Buddhist monasteries and temples in India]]
[[Category:1875 establishments in India]]