21st Century Tibetan Monastery

I traveled to Tibet a lot and local monasteries and temples visited more than a dozen, from the oldest to the largest and most famous. But I did not see such a cool and luxurious Tibetan monastery as the one I visited in Nepal! This is a mixture of classical Tibetan culture and limitless funding from generous sponsors - gold, shine and luxury mixed with classical Tibetan Buddhism and monks in the usual dark red robes.

Although I am not a supporter of Buddhist luxury, I admit honestly - the monastery was built perfectly architecturally and there is something to see!

There is a place near Kathmandu, I don’t know whether the city, or the area, or something else, but this place is called Dakshinkali, as well as one very famous temple located nearby. And in this very Dakshinkali, new and modern Buddhist Tibetan monasteries were built. There are already 3 or 4 of them, and construction continues. Apparently, the natural beauty of the Himalayas and the nearby Padmasambhava cave give a special holiness to this place, and it is ideal for teaching modern Tibetan Buddhists. And the place is really gorgeous !!! And just a half hour drive from the noisy and dusty Kathmandu.

All monasteries are functioning here, the real Tibetan monks live and study in them. This is something like a religious boarding school, where Buddhists give their children for training and education. The monasteries were built with sponsorship money from Nepalese tycoons, and local education is free here. But foreign pilgrims (who are also many here) will have to pay a little for the knowledge of Tibetan truths.

I visited one of the Dakshinkal monasteries and now I will show how it looks outside and, most importantly, inside!

As I have already said, monasteries receive pilgrims from all over the world. For them, built special "chambers", which are no worse than a good 3-star hotel. Here you can rent a room and just spend the night in a holy place, and it is not necessary to be a monk and even a Buddhist. You can be just a tourist, accept everyone! The only drawback of the monastery "hotel" - the food here is very simple and absolutely vegetarian.

And here are the "cells" of the monks. Not bad for a monastery, right? Or did you think that Tibetan monks sleep in caves on thatched bedding?

But this is still the berries ... Let's look inside, that's where it's really cool!

You know, this is the third time I have come to Tibet, but I have never seen such luxury in any Tibetan temple !!! So much gold! So much dough !!! So much chic and so much brilliance !!!

And this is not a museum, and not the Palace of the Dalai Lama (which is much more modest inside), but just an ordinary monastery, made according to all the canons of Tibetan temple building. Buddhas, bodhisattvas, the “throne” of the lama, a large ritual drum, a mandala on the ceiling, shops for monks, Buddhist wall paintings ... everything is as it should be in a Tibetan temple.

But at least kill - all this luxury and Tibet do not combine with me. No, I have nothing against beauty, but still the Tibetan temple should be a little more modest. But, apparently, the oligarch who built this monastery thinks differently. And it turned out such an indicative Tibetan monastery of the XXI century !!! Beautiful, luxurious and at the same time seemingly even Buddhist.