Introduction:
Do Phen ling Gompa, the new Monastery established by Sera Jey Monastery was inaugurated by His Holiness The Dalai Lama on the 26th of May 2005. The Gompa is situated on the foothills of the hillock – LhaSolsa (Puja Offering Place) at Chandmari - Gangtok in the North Eastern Indian state of Sikkim.
How the Gompa came into being:
History records that this special hillock where the Gompa is built was gifted by the Chief Buddhist Priest of Sikkim to the community of devotees in Gangtok in the year 1947 exclusively for Puja Offering purpose. Thence the special place was reserved by the community for prayers & offering ceremonies, becoming the main venue for making offering ceremonies on all important festivals and the place for devotees to fly their Lungta (Wind Horse).
This special Hillock received a unique name - Lhasolsa (offering place)from the communities. And ever since then this special place was devotedly taken care by the five Joint Tibetan Regional Communities of Gangtok.
Community's Role:
Sera Jey Monastery was brought into the role of the community of devotees in Gangtok – Sikkim, when special requests were received at the Monastery from devotees of Gangtok for dispensing puja and prayer offerings for the community. Respecting the enthusiastic and dedicated devotee wishes, the Monastery deputed 10 monks to Gangtok in 1998 for the spiritual mission. The devotees were overwhelmed of the beneficial spiritual service of our Monastery's monks and contemplated the Monastery on setting up a branch at Gangtok.
Upon this contemplation, the community of devotees of Gangtok requested Sera Jey Monastery for establishing a branch Monastery in Gangtok, to avail puja & prayer offering service and for the spiritual development of the community at large; and the five Joint Tibetan Regional Communities dedicated a land plot at the vicinity of the special hillock for the establishment of the Monastery.
Local & State Government Support
The entire project of establishing this new Monastery received due support from the Local and State Government facilitating all aspects of the project. After allotting the land plot and handing over the site to Sera Jey Monastery for the construction of the new Monastery, a committee headed by Ven. GesheLobsangGyaltsen was assigned by Sera Jey Monastery and commenced the initial construction work in the year 1999. The committee was encouraged by the good will and ardent support of devotees, communities, Local and State Government.
On the occasion of His Holiness The Dalai Lama's 69th Birth Anniversary celebration at Gangtok in the year 2004, the Chief Minister of Sikkim granted a financial assistance of Rs.5,00,000.00 towards the concluding construction work and a sum of Rs.51,000.00 for the inaugural ceremony.
Inauguration Ceremony:
By March 2005, the entire construction & interior work was completed. On the 26th of May 2005, His Holiness The Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso inaugurated this new Do Phen ling Gompa. Guest of Honorand other prominent guests include the Chief Minister, Chief Secretary, Member of Parliaments, Department Secretariats, Teachers of Government and Private schools,...etc. Tens of thousands of devotees attended the inaugural ceremony.
His Holiness The Dalai Lama's message:
On the occasion of inauguration ceremony His Holiness The Dalai Lama expressed His serene happiness on the establishment of this Monastery; and reiterated the monastic obligation of disseminating the Buddha Dharma in true faith, respecting other existing beliefs and faiths of the community.
His Holiness hoped that the monastery will serve to benefit the spiritual needs of the community, and to eventually develop to a learning institute of Buddhist Philosophical Studies for the privilege of local & surrounding communities.
Contact information
Address
Sea Jey Dro-Phenling Gompa
Chandmari,
P.O. Raj Bhavan,
Gangtok 737101 (Sikkim) INDIA
Tel: +91-3592-203351
Fax: +91-3592-203351
Current serving officials
- Khenpo Choekhor Rinpoche (Lhopa)
- GesheDhamchoe (Tsangpa)
- GesheJampaDelek (Ngari)