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Ganesh Tok
Temple
It is a very small
temple dedicated to Lord Ganesh, a diety worshipped by Hindus.
The temple is so small in size that it can hardly accommodate one
person and one has to crawl to get inside it. It is located on
the hill adjoining the TV Tower. It is on a hillock on
Gangtok-Nathula Road. From here you can get a panoramic view of
Gangtok town and the Raj Bhawan Complex and on a clear day you
get a breathe taking view of Mt. Khangchendzonga.
During the tourist season, a small
cafeteria is opened for the convenience of the visitors. Just
adjoining the Ganesh Tok is a pinetum garden containing pine
trees. A walk on the footpath amongst the pine trees is
refreshing.
 Rumtek Monastery
A short drive
from Gangtok through the beautiful countryside one finds
themselves in Rumtek Dharma Charma Chakra Centre. It was
constructed by His Holiness the late 16thGyalwa Karmapa in 1960. It is believed that the
monastery is an excellent replica of the original Kagyurpa
Monastery in Tsurphu, Tibet. The centre houses some of the
world's most unique religious scriptures, manuscripts and
religious art objects.
A fifteen minute walk
downhill from Dharma Chakra Center takes one to the old Rumtek
monastery which was originally built in 1730 by the ninth Karmapa
but was destroyed by fire and had to be reconstructed to the
present state. His Holiness late Gyalwa Karmapa lived in this
monastery till the completion of the Rumtek Dharma Chakra
Center.
The annual dances also
called the Tse-Chu Chaams are held on the 10th day of
the 5th month of the Tibetan calendar around June.
Dances called the Kagyat are also held here on the
28th & 29th day of the tenth month of
the lunar calendar.
 Pemayangtse
Monastery
Pemayangtse is situated in Pelling, West Sikkim and commands an
impressive view of Mount Khangchendzonga. It was originally a
small Lhakhang built by Lhatsun Chempo in the 17th
Century. Later during the rule of the third Chogyal Chakdor
Namgyal, Jigme Pawo, Lhatsun Chenpo's third reincarnation
extended it and rebuilt the structure. It is perched at a height
of 2085 mts and is the second oldest and perhaps the most
important monastery in Sikkim. This monastery belongs to the
Nyigma order and all other Nyigma order monasteries in Sikkim are
subordinate to it.
The monastery houses
numerous religious idols and other objects of worship, most of
which are precious because of their antiquity. On the top floor
of the monastery there is a wooden sculpture depicting the Maha
Gurus Heavenly Palace "Sanghthokpalri". This master piece was
completed by the late Dungzin Rimpoche, who took five years to
craft it single handed.
Phensong Monastery
This monastery in North Sikkim was built during the time
of Jigme Pawo. Belonging to the Nyingmapa order, this monastery,
first established in 1840, stands testimony to the dedication of
its monks who reconstructed the monastery within a year after it
was burnt down in 1947.
The monastery is
situated on a gentle slope stretching fom Kabi to Phodong in
north Sikkim. There are around 300 monks under the monastery and
is famous for the main annual Chaam (monk dance) performed on the
28th & 29th days of the tenth month of
the Tibetan Calendar which normally corresponds to the month of
December. Its name translates as "The excellent Banner" or "Good
Bliss".
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