Monasteries and shrines · Ranka and Lingdum
Afternoon prayers at Lingdum Monastery
Time your visit to Lingdum for the young monks' afternoon prayers, when horns and drums echo across the forest clearing. Then walk the wide courtyard and look closely at the fresh murals of a monastery completed in 1999.
Photo: Subhrajyoti07 · CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Lingdum's setting does half the work: a large, bright monastery in a clearing ringed by tall trees, quiet except for birds and the sound of prayers. Arrive around 3 pm, leave your shoes at the entrance of the main hall and, if the monks are assembling, sit on the floor or a bench at the back. Prayers may last most of an hour.
The monastery follows the Zurmang Kagyu tradition, whose mother house, Zurmang, is in Kham in eastern Tibet. Inside, the murals show Kagyu masters, protector deities and scenes from the Buddha's life, painted in strong, fresh colours, and the pillars and beams are carved and gilded. Because it was completed only in 1999, nothing has faded yet.
When the prayers end, walk around the courtyard clockwise and look at the monks' quarters and the forest beyond. Young monks may be playing football or studying; smile, but do not photograph them without asking. Leave a small offering if you wish.
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Questions travellers ask
Before you book
What time are prayers at Lingdum Monastery?
Afternoon prayers often fall around 3–4 pm, with morning prayers early in the day, but times vary with the ritual calendar and study schedule. Ask at the monastery when you arrive, or call us the day before. On festival days, the schedule changes completely.
When was Lingdum Monastery built?
Wikipedia records that Lingdum, also called Ranka Monastery or Pal Zurmang Kagyud Monastery, was completed in 1999. It follows the Zurmang Kagyu tradition. That makes it much newer than Rumtek, whose present main complex was inaugurated in 1966, or Enchey, built in 1909.
Is photography allowed inside Lingdum?
Rules vary, and the monks may restrict photography inside the main hall, especially during prayers. Always ask at the door, never use flash, and do not photograph monks without permission. The courtyard and exterior can usually be photographed freely. A quiet request is almost always answered kindly.
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