Lingdum, also called Ranka Monastery or Pal Zurmang Kagyud, is a large Zurmang Kagyu monastery completed in 1999 in a forest clearing near Ranka village, about 20 km and 50 minutes from Gangtok at roughly 1,400 m. Spacious, quiet and rarely crowded, it pairs well with Rumtek. No permit needed.
Ranka is a scatter of villages and forest on the slopes west of Gangtok, across the Ranikhola from the capital and above the road to Rumtek. Its best-known landmark is Lingdum Monastery, a big, brightly painted complex set in a clearing among tall trees, about 20 km and 50 minutes by car from MG Marg. Wikipedia records that it was completed in 1999 and follows the Zurmang Kagyu tradition, a lineage whose mother monastery, Zurmang, lies in Kham in eastern Tibet.
Because it is new, Lingdum's murals, carved woodwork and gilded images are fresh and sharp, and the courtyard is wide and calm. A community of young monks studies and lives here, and their afternoon prayers, with long horns and drums echoing across the clearing, are the moment to aim for. On most weekdays you share the monastery with only a few other visitors.
On the way from Gangtok, the road passes close to Banjhakri Falls and Energy Park, a landscaped park around a waterfall that tells the story of the ban jhakri, the forest shaman of Sikkim's Nepali-speaking and Kirati traditions. Most visitors do Ranka and Lingdum as a half day with Rumtek, or as part of a full-day monastery round from Gangtok.
Highlights
What to see and do
Lingdum's main hall
A large assembly hall with fresh murals, carved and painted pillars and gilded images, completed in 1999. Remove shoes, walk clockwise and sit quietly at the back if the monks are at prayer. Photography rules are posted or given at the door; ask first.
Afternoon prayers
In the afternoon the young monks gather for prayers, and the sound of horns, drums and chanting carries across the forest clearing. Times vary, so ask on arrival; a visit around 3–4 pm often coincides with them.
The wide courtyard
Lingdum's paved courtyard is one of the most spacious around Gangtok, framed by the monks' quarters and the forest. On weekdays it is almost empty, which makes it a calm place to sit after the busier Rumtek.
Banjhakri Falls and Energy Park
A landscaped park around a waterfall about 30 m high, with figures of jhakri and other traditional healers and a small renewable energy museum. It is popular with Gangtok families at weekends; allow 45 minutes to an hour.
The Rumtek loop
Lingdum lies on the same side of the valley as Rumtek, so the two make a natural half-day loop from Gangtok via Ranka and Ranipool. A reserved small car costs about ₹2,500–3,500 for the round, with time at both.
The story of Ranka and Lingdum
The forest shaman of Banjhakri Falls
Long before the park was built, the waterfall near the road to Ranka was linked with the ban jhakri. In the Nepali language, ban means forest and jhakri means shaman or healer, and in the traditions of the Kirati peoples of Nepal and Sikkim, as summarised in Wikipedia's article on Banjhakri and Banjhakrini, the Banjhakri is a small, wild forest being who carries away children with the gift of healing and trains them in his cave, returning them as shamans more powerful than those taught by people. His fearsome partner, Banjhakrini, tests the children first. Nepali shamans regard the Banjhakri as the founder of their tradition. The park itself is recent. According to Wikipedia, Sikkim's then chief minister, Pawan Kumar Chamling, visited the falls during a trip to Ranka Monastery on 28 September 2004 and proposed a park to revive interest in the state's shamanic traditions. Today its paths lead past a waterfall about 30 m high and thatched shelters with figures of the jhakri, the Lepcha bongthing, the Limbu phedangba and other ritual healers, a reminder that Sikkim's spiritual life is wider than its monasteries.
Source: Wikipedia: Banjhakri and Banjhakrini; Wikipedia: Banjhakri Falls and Energy Park
Little known
Things most visitors never hear
Lingdum was completed only in 1999, which makes it one of the youngest large monasteries near Gangtok; its colours and carvings are still unusually fresh.
Source: Wikipedia: Lingdum Monastery
The Banjhakri Falls park was proposed after Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling saw the waterfall on a visit to Ranka Monastery on 28 September 2004.
Source: Wikipedia: Banjhakri Falls and Energy Park
The park's museum hall, run by the Sikkim Rural Energy Development Agency, explains solar and other renewable energy, and the grounds are lit by solar lamps.
Source: Wikipedia: Banjhakri Falls and Energy Park
Shared jeeps run from Gangtok towards Ranka through the day from a stand in town (your hotel will know the current one), for about ₹50–100 a seat. From the Ranka road you may still need to walk to Lingdum, and return timings are uncertain, so most visitors hire a car.
Private car
A reserved small car from Gangtok to Lingdum and back costs about ₹1,500–2,500 with waiting, or ₹2,500–3,500 combined with Rumtek and Banjhakri Falls. The road is narrow in places and slow after rain; allow 50 minutes each way.
From Bagdogra / NJP
Reach Gangtok first, about 125 km and 4.5–5 hours from Bagdogra (IXB) or NJP on NH10, which closes after monsoon slides; the alternative is via Kalimpong or Algarah. Lingdum is then a half day from town. Check current status before you travel.
Permits in East Sikkim
Indian travellers need no permit for Gangtok, Rumtek, Lingdum, Martam or Sang. Tsomgo Lake and Baba Mandir need a protected-area permit through a registered agent, usually filed the day before with ID and photos. Nathu La is for Indian nationals only, about ₹200 per person, usually Wednesday to Sunday. Cho La opened to domestic tourists in September 2025 on limited, escorted trips. Foreigners need the Sikkim restricted area permit, applied online on the e-FRRO portal, and may visit Tsomgo on a one-day pass in a group of two or more. Sikkim also charges a ₹50 tourist fee at hotels. Check current status before you travel.
Most visitors stay in Gangtok, about 50 minutes away, and visit Ranka and Lingdum on a half day. Hidden Forest Retreat in lower Gangtok, a family-run garden property, is on the side of town that makes the Ranka road quick. For a night in the countryside, Martam village homestays lie beyond Rumtek on the same side of the valley, about 45 minutes from Lingdum. In central Gangtok, Mintokling Guest House suits a budget, Netuk House is good value, and The Chumbi Residency is a comfortable choice.
About 20 km, around 50 minutes by car via the road west of town towards Ranka. A reserved small car costs about ₹1,500–2,500 return with waiting, or ₹2,500–3,500 combined with Rumtek. The road is narrow in places and slow in the monsoon.
What is Lingdum Monastery also called?
It is also called Ranka Monastery, after the nearby village, and Pal Zurmang Kagyud Monastery, after its lineage, the Zurmang Kagyu branch of Tibetan Buddhism. Drivers in Gangtok usually understand Ranka Monastery or Lingdum. On maps it may appear under any of the three names, so search for all of them.
Is there an entry fee at Lingdum?
Usually there is no fee or only a small one; an offering in the donation box is welcome. Banjhakri Falls nearby charges a small entry fee, indicatively about ₹50–100 for an adult. Check current rates before you travel. Leave shoes at the hall door.
What is the best time to visit Lingdum?
October to May, in the afternoon around 3–4 pm, when the monks often gather for prayers. Weekdays are quieter than weekends. In the monsoon, from June to September, the road can be slow and muddy, though the forest is at its greenest.
Do we need a permit for Ranka and Lingdum?
No. Ranka and Lingdum lie outside the protected areas, so Indian travellers need no permit, and foreigners only need the Sikkim restricted area permit for entering the state. Carry ID anyway if you are also visiting Rumtek, where there is a security check.
Can we combine Lingdum with Rumtek?
Yes. They are about 45 minutes to an hour apart on the same side of the valley. A half day of 4–5 hours with a reserved car covers both, and you can add Banjhakri Falls on the way back. It is one of the most popular half days from Gangtok.
Is Lingdum suitable for seniors?
Yes. Cars park close to the entrance, the courtyard is level and paved, and the hall has only a few steps. At about 1,400 m, the altitude is lower than Gangtok and comfortable for most people. Bring a cushion if you plan to sit through prayers.
Are there restaurants near Lingdum?
Choices are limited to small eateries and tea shops on the Ranka road and near Rumtek. Plan a proper lunch in Gangtok or a simple meal near Rumtek, about ₹150–250 per person. Carry water and snacks for children. Banjhakri Falls has small snack stalls.
What is Ranka known for besides the monastery?
Ranka is a rural area of villages and forest across the valley from Gangtok. Close by are Banjhakri Falls and Energy Park, Rumtek Monastery, and the edges of Fambong Lho Wildlife Sanctuary, known for birding. It makes a calm half day away from the capital.
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