Monasteries and shrines · Sang
Sang Monastery and Phaya Lama's prints
Visit the Karma Dubgyu Chokhorling, a Kagyu monastery built in 1912, and ask to see the two stones bearing a footprint and handprint attributed to the Tibetan teacher Phaya Lama. A quiet hour in a monastery few travellers reach.
Photo: Prof Ranga Sai · CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Sang Monastery stands above the village, a modest building with prayer flags, a courtyard and a small community of monks. Arrive in the morning, when the hall is most likely to be open. Leave your shoes at the door, walk clockwise and greet anyone you meet with a nod or a quiet tashi delek.
The monastery belongs to the Kagyu school, the same broad tradition as Rumtek, though it is much smaller and simpler. Its treasure is a pair of flat stones, each bearing a footprint and handprint attributed to Phaya Lama, a teacher from Tibet who stayed here for a few years. Local visitors touch their foreheads to such relics as a blessing. Follow their lead, or simply look.
There is no guided tour, and English may be limited, so a few words of Nepali or a local companion help. Leave a small offering if you wish, and do not photograph inside without permission. Combine the visit with tea in the bazaar and a walk among the fields.
Good for
Questions travellers ask
Before you book
When was Sang Monastery built?
Wikipedia records that Sang Monastery, the Karma Dubgyu Chokhorling, was built in 1912. It belongs to the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism. That makes it older than the present Rumtek complex, inaugurated in 1966, though much smaller. The monastery is a working religious house, so visit quietly.
Who was Phaya Lama?
According to Wikipedia, Phaya Lama was a prominent lama from Tibet who stayed at Sang Monastery for a few years and meditated in a cave in a nearby ravine. Two stones at the monastery bear a footprint and handprint attributed to him. We have not found a detailed English biography.
Is Sang Monastery open to visitors?
Respectful visitors are generally welcome, especially in the morning. There is no formal visitor centre, so the hall may be closed at times. Ask a monk politely. Remove shoes, dress modestly and do not photograph inside without permission. A small offering is welcome.
Also in Sang
More hours worth planning
Adventure
Guided walk to Phaya Lama's cave
With a local guide, follow a steep path down into the ravine near Sang to the cave where Phaya Lama is said …
Village life
Rumtek, Martam and Sang in a day
A full day on the western side of the Ranikhola valley: Rumtek Monastery in the morning, lunch at a Martam homestay, and …
Village life
Tea in the bazaar and a stroll in the fields
Slow down in Sang: sit with a glass of tea at a stall in the small bazaar, then walk the lanes between …
Price your own route
Tell us dates, people and budget. We send a day-by-day plan with every cost shown. StartNot sure where to start?
We match districts to your month, your budget and the people travelling with you. StartAsk the Gangtok desk
An itemised quote within one working day. No payment to start. StartGet my price
Tell us your dates and your budget
Who is travelling, when, and roughly what you want to spend. The Gangtok desk replies within one working day with a day-by-day plan and an itemised price.
- No payment to start
- Permits handled through registered partners
- Every hotel, car and fee listed