TAKLING PHUNCHOK CHOLING MONASTERY
Phunchok Choling Monastery stands rickety on tip toes invased by clouds,
trees, lungtas and prayer flags locating itself at an altitude of 3950 ft above the mighty and historical river Teesta.
One of the first Tamang Monastery saw its birth in the Wood-Cat year of 1915 under its founder Lama Urgen Tenzin Sangpo and since then it has helped radiate
prayers and aspirations developing spiritual development and universal peace
through Buddha teachings. Lama Urgen
Tenzing reached such level of spiritual development that he himself became a
lone master for many Dharma practioners then. He was visited by Dharma students
from Dooars, Nepal, Sikkim and far from Bhutan and that’s the time when
Phunchok Choling Monastery turned out to be a pilgrim a Mecca for Tamang
Buddhist. Infact the task of printing Kangyur
and Tengyur (Tripitaks) in Tibet and then travelling three months to bring
in this Monastery was a treasure cherished by all. After the Tibet Lama passed
into heavenly bliss in the water-snake year of 1953 Lama
Karma Namgyal Yonzone took over the Monastery and he worked for the Dharma
missions of Lama Urgen Tenzing Sangpo. The Monastery already was handed down to
the committee in the iron-dragon year of 1940 and the visit of another Lama Jampel Dorjee from Nepal was a
blessing in disguise. He was a master in Buddhist philosophy passed out from
Tibet and his skills and wisdom was widely known in Tibet, Nepal and India. The
practice of observing ( Nyungne) religious fasts was first practiced in this
Monastery in the fire-monkey year of 1956 under his guidance. Also the mask
dance added to the beauty of Monastic rituals then. The committee well known
for its versatility has since then shaped colors, added new inputs, gave new
touches to the Monastery. The Khonchok Chuidi tradition gives way for the
Monastery to observe and offer tshoks and pujas during Tsechus (10thday) and
full moon day remembering Guru Rimpoche. The Monastery has been headed by Lama
S.Wangdi Lama Yonzone and Lama Kunsang Gyurme, a well known Champa of Drukpa
Kagyu order of his Holiness Drukchen Rimpoche.