Location: 8J83+9WF, Deorali, Gangtok, Sikkim 737101, India
Estimated Visiting Time: 1-2 hours.
Phone number not available
A visit to Sikkim isn’t complete without a stop at Namgyal Institute of Tibetology for a live history lesson (NIT). A visit here will give a greater knowledge of Buddhism and Tibetan socio-religious values travelers. This institute is one of the greatest collections of Tibetan literature outside Tibet, in addition to housing a huge array of Tibetan/Buddhist relics. As a result, NIT is a must-see for anybody interested in religious art and iconography. The main structure embodies the elegance of Sikkimese architecture to a tee.
Tibetan history’s torchbearer has a substantial foundation of its own. The late King (Chogyal in Sikkimese) Sir Tashi Namgyal, after whom the institute is named, donated the land on which the Namgyal Institute of Tibetology stands. The 14th Dalai Lama, the Buddhist religious hierarchy’s leader, placed the foundation stone for the institute on February 10, 1957, and another illustrious figure, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first and then Prime Minister of India, inaugurated it a year and a half later, on October 10, 1958.
Since then, the Namgyal Institute’s structure has changed several times. It was opened to international collaboration and received a research wing in 2002. In 2008, as part of the institute’s Golden Jubilee celebrations, the Governor of Sikkim presided over the inauguration of various new facilities, including a conference hall, library, study rooms, and studios.
With corner towers, a colorful mural façade, and a forest-glade setting, the NIT’s 1958 main structure feels like a Tibetan fairytale castle. A magnificent and well-explained collection of culturally Tibetan/Buddhist imagery and artifacts, including tantric skullcap bowls and trumpets carved from human thigh bones, is housed in the main hall. An eight-armed bronze sculpture of the victorious goddess Namgyalama, who appears to be texting on an unseen phone, is among the beautiful Buddhist statuary. Few visitors go upstairs to the shrine-like library, which has teak and glass cabinets filled with primarily wrapped holy scriptures, as well as a 135-volume collection. Tibetica Encyclopedia.
The opening hour is Monday – Saturday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Sunday – Closed
The entry fee is only 10 INR.
By Air: The nearest airport to Namgyal Institute of Tibetology is Pakyong Airport, which is around 25 kilometers away and takes about one and a half hours to drive to. Bagdogra Airport is around 125 kilometers distant, in the neighboring state of West Bengal. This is a prominent airport in the area.
By Road: The facility is about 15-20 minutes away from any visitor staying in Gangtok. One may simply catch a cab there from the center of downtown Gangtok, which is only 2 kilometers away.
By Rail: The nearest railway station to Namgyal Institute of Tibetology is New Jalpaiguri Railway Station, which is around 116 kilometers away.
Visitors does not have the permission to take pictures inside here.
Ans: Yes, this is a safe place to visit.
Ans: Sardar Police Station.
Ans: No, photography is not allowed.
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