Prime Day & Hours: Weekends, 12:00 pm-3:00 pm
Suggested Duration: 1-2 hours
Tickets: Free entry
Nearest Railway Station: Rangapara North Junction, about 138 km away
Nearest Airport: Tezpur Airport, about 143 km away
Nearest Bus Stop: APSTS Ticket Booking Centre, about 1 km away
The Thubchog Gatsel Ling Monastery, also called the Lower Gompa, is a peaceful Buddhist retreat in Bomdila, Arunachal Pradesh. The monastery was built in the early 1960s by the 12th reincarnation of Tsona Gontse Rinpoche. Its purpose was to help Tibetan refugees and keep the Gelugpa (Yellow Hat) tradition of Tibetan Buddhism alive, making it one of the best places to visit in Arunachal Pradesh. Since then, it has become an important place for practising religion and keeping culture alive in the area.
Visitors can witness the beautiful buildings, which are covered in detailed murals and thangkas. They can also join the monks in daily prayer sessions, which are accompanied by rhythmic chants. The new prayer hall, which was blessed by Gaden Tripa Lobsang Tenzin, adds to the spiritual atmosphere of the site.
Thubchog Gatsel Ling has important festivals all year long, like the Monyul Palden Lhamo and Choekhor, where people come together to do traditional rituals, dance, and have fun. The monastery is on a hilltop, which gives it a wide view of the Eastern Himalayas. This makes it a peaceful place for both spiritual seekers and travellers.
