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Bodhnath Stupa
There doesn't seem to be much agreement on how old the Bodhnath Stupa is, but it is likely that the first stupa ( chörten in Tibetan) was built some time after AD 600, after the Tibetan king, Songtsen Gampo, was converted to Buddhism by his two wives: the Nepali princess Bhrikuti and Wencheng Konjo from China. The stupa was said to have been built by a prince as penance for unwittingly killing his father.
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Ka-Nying Sheldrup Ling Gompa
North of here, down a side alley, is the large 'white gompa' of Ka-Nying Sheldrup Ling Gompa , one of the largest monasteries in Bodhnath, with nice gardens and a richly decorated interior with some fine paintings and thangkas. The gompa hosts a popular annual seminar on Vajrayana training in November. You'll hear the tap-tap-tapping of handicraft workshops in the street leading up to the monastery.
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Samtenling Gompa
East of the stupa, the Gelugpa Samtenling Gompa is the oldest monastery in Bodhnath.
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Shechen Tengyi Dargyeling Gompa
Northwest of the stupa, the impressive Shechen Tengyi Dargyeling Gompa was established by the famous Nyingmapa lama Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche to act as an exiled version of Shechen Gompa in eastern Tibet. It has a large and thriving community of over 180 monks and is a popular destination for Tibetan pilgrims. The fine interior decorations are the work of artists from Bhutan. To the right of the main building is the Tsering Art School.
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Tamang Gompa
The new Tamang Gompa and Guru Lhakhang are currently being built on the north side of the stupa enclosure. A small plaque here honours Ekai Kawaguchi (1866-1945), the first Japanese to make it to Tibet (he passed through Bodhnath in 1899). For an excellent account of his remarkable travels see Scott Berry's book A Stranger in Tibet, available in Thamel bookshops.
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Tarik Gompa
The Sakyapa school Tarik Gompa to the northeast of the stupa does not have the imposing architectural unity of the others - it has obviously been built in stages over a number of years - but there are some high-quality frescoes inside the ground-floor chapel and you can climb upstairs to a splendidly adorned Sakyamuni Buddha. Just east of here is Tabsang Gompa, a Kargyud monastery.
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Tsamchen Gompa
Tsamchen Gompa is the only gompa that opens directly onto the stupa on the western side. There are some fine paintings and a magnificent Maitreya (Jampa in Tibetan), the Future Buddha, covered in beautiful embroideries. Don't miss the massive enclosed prayer wheel on the left of the entrance.
Showing 1-7 of 7 results
