Tawang Monastery stands atop a mountain, 3300 Meters high, overlooking
the Tawang Chhu Valley. It is over 350 years old, and is the fountainhead
of the
spiritual
life for the followers of the Gelupa Sect of the Mahayana School
of Buddhism, which is followed by the Monpa, and Sherdukpen tribes
of Arunachal Pradesh. Surrounded by lofty peaks of over 4000 Meters
in elevation, it is built like a fortress and can house over 500
monks.
The surrounding Tawang Chhu Valley is a virtual Shangri-La, of
lush forests, smiling vales, gurgling streams, picture post card
villages and a lovely, smiling people, surrounded by high mountain
barriers above 4000 meters. This is a rare opportunity to explore
the Buddhist lifestyles of the unique and remote Himalayan tribal
culture of the Monpas. You get to see the various monasteries,
Monpa villages and the breathtaking vistas of Himalayan uplands.
We also visit two national parks; The Kaziranga and Nameri, and
visit Bomdila, with its set on monasteries, Sherdukpen and Bugin
tribes.
The most imposing part of the monastery is the Dukung, or the
assembly hall - a three-storied building housing the temple and
the 8.3-m high Golden Buddha. The building also has a library,
a treasure trove of valuable sculptures, old books and manuscripts,
both handwritten and printed. Also housed here is the establishment
of the Rimpoche, or lama incarnate.