page_title: Pemayangtse Monastery
section_title: Refurbishments and conservation
hierarchical_section_title: Pemayangtse Monastery / Refurbishments and conservation
caption_attribution_description: English: This picture shows the preservation steps taken at the Pemayangtse Monastery.
context_page_description: The Pemayangtse Monastery is a Buddhist monastery in Pemayangtse, near Pelling in the northeastern Indian state of Sikkim, located 110 km west of Gangtok. Planned, designed and founded by Lama Lhatsun Chempo in 1647, it is one of the oldest and premier monasteries of Sikkim, also the most famous in Sikkim. Originally started as a small Lhakhang, it was subsequently enlarged during the reign of the third Chogyal Chakdor Namgyal and Khenchen Rolpai Dorjee in the year 1705 and consecrated by the third Lhatsun Chenpo Dzogchen Jigme Pawo in the year 1710 C.E. The monastery follows the Nyingma Order of Tibetan Buddhism and controls all other monasteries of that Order in Sikkim. The monks of this monastery are normally chosen from the Bhutias of Sikkim.
  The monastery was built for "pure monks" meaning "monks of pure lineage", celibate and without any physical abnormality. This practice is still retained. Only the monks of Pemayangtse Monastery are entitled to the title "ta-tshang". The head lama of this monastery had the unique privilege of anointing the Chogyals of the erstwhile monarchy of Sikkim with holy water.
context_section_description: Over the centuries the monastery has withstood earthquakes and other calamities common in high altitude areas. As a result, the monastery has been damaged time and again which can be spotted in the interiors, especially in the first floor. The Monastery has gone through series of refurbishments and preservation efforts to strengthen the structure. Most notably, on the rear left corner of the monastery the roof was tied to chains which were then planted to solid concrete floor to enable it to withstand the monsoon winds.
caption: Roof chained for protection
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