Bylakuppe is a quaint little town located in Karnataka. A Tibetian settlement, Bylakuppe offers interesting Monasteries to a curious traveler. We visited Tashi Lhumpo Monastery first and later explored rest of the town.
The blue sky was adorned by grey clouds. Filtered sunlight bounced off the monastery’s dome. We stood admiring the beautiful architecture of Tashi Lhumpo monastery. Clad in red & orange, Monks strolled around peacefully. The vast grounds of Monastery were well maintained & gardens, neatly landscaped. The sprawling area of the monastery offered a peaceful ambiance.
The main gate of Tashi Lhumpo Monastery.
The front view of Tashi Lhumpo Monastery, Bylakuppe.
Another view of Tashi Lhumpo Moastery, Bylakuppe.
The gardens of Monastery.
Another shot of the magnificent Tashi Lhumpo Monastery, Bylakuppe.
Making a new friend in monastery premises.
Side door to enter the temple
We explored the surroundings of Tashi Lhumpo Monastery & later proceeded to visit the inside temple. The interiors glowed with divinity! The seat inside was adorned by a life size statue of Buddha. Images of Dalai Lama & his successor were placed adjacent to the statue. The beautiful interior was adequate to seat at least 200 monks during prayer session.
We met some monks and discussed their lifestyle. It was lovely to know about their way of living, different than our city life.
Exploring this beautiful monastery was even better due to absence of tourists. Tashi Lhumpo Monastery is indeed a hidden gem in Bylakuppe.
The interiors of temple.
Crafted beauty hanging from the roof inside.
A cute young monk frolicking around in monastery premises.
After spending some time in the monastery, we left to explore the Tibetian settlement. The town was well planned and seemed pretty neat. Monks strolled peacefully in the narrow lanes chatting joyfully and laughing merrily. Almost everyone had a peaceful smile decorating their countenance.
We explored the lanes for a while and visited Namdroling Monastery next. Also known as the golden temple, unlike Tashi Lhumpo Monastery, Namdroling was a crowded attraction in Bylakuppe. The architecture of Namdroling Monastery was more intricate as compared to Tashi Lhumpo.
We visited the temple inside and saw monks attending a session. Shades of orange and red beautified the interiors. Echo of chanting filled the atmosphere with divinity. Spectators leaned over doors to have a look at the proceedings. Transfixed at the spiritual ambiance, we observed the monks for a while.
Namdroling Monastery, Bylakuppe.
A part of Namdroling Monastery, Bylakuppe.
Monks attending a session in Namdroling Monastery interiors.
Adjacent to the parking, we saw Buddha Cafe and decided to have lunch there. Later, we also stopped at Tandoori Nights as some friends craved Punjabi food. Both the restaurants served sumptuous food and I would surely recommend them when visiting Bylakuppe.
Spending time in Bylakuppe town was a memorable experience. It was good to see the Tibetian lifestyle thriving well in South India. If you are visiting Coorg, I would definitely recommend spending some time in Bylakuppe.
Have you been to Bylakuppe, do share your experience with me in comments section!