Few weeks back we have seen marvelous Interiors Monastery of Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche Institute at Chauntra - HERE. This Photo Journey will take you through campus tour of Dzongsar Monastery. Let's take a wonderful tour to this wonderful place in a valley surrounded by snow capped hills of Dhauladhar Mountain Ranges...
Here is a photograph of road facing beautiful hills with cloud shadows on them. This road connects Chauntra Town with Dzongsar Monastery which is about 2 kilometers for Chauntra Town. Entry gate on other end of this Monastery was really welcoming. After parking our car outside the gate, we entered into the campus and there was a huge temple on right side and a huge series of yellow buildings on left. The Red Temple you see in first photograph was on right.
This is the exact view we see from entry gate of Monastery of Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche Institute. For some time, we were simply amazed by the hugeness and beauty all around. It was first time that we were seeing such a huge Monastery and very well maintained campus with great peace. Overall environment was very peaceful and kind of unmatchable.
As we moved further and came to the middle of this campus, above was the view on right. Now next thing was to go inside and see it's interiors. Main temple was closed and then one of our friends started moving around to figure out the way to get it opened. She found someone close to their office and we were able to see interiors which can be seen at - http://phototravelings.blogspot.com/2012/05/interiors-at-monastery-of-dzongsar.html
Monastery of Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche Institute at Chauntra is one of the important educational institution. Just in front of this temple there is a huge building and we noticed some monks moving around the space. It looked like the place where students stay or probably some part is also dedicated for studies. While in this campus, some of us were planning to explore possibilities of coming to this place and learn meditation, if possible.
Somehow, we figured out way to open the main temple. One of the Monk was in on first floor who had the main key. It was time to take off the shoes and go inside.
Things designed of the walls of this temple were very colorful and different.
Here is first view you get after entering into the temple. A series of seats on both sides and a huge statute of budha in golden color. All vibrant colors were used inside the temple. There was pin drop silence and everyone of us didn't want to spoil this silence. Imagine spending 15 minutes at such a place and no talk at all :)
Here is a closer look at Golden Statute of Budha inside Monastery of Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche Institute @ Chauntra Town of Mandi District in Himachal Pradesh, India
Moving ahead of temple, there is some open space on right and few beautiful structures facing snow covered peaks of Dhauladhar Mountain Ranges. btw, Clouds were indicating something although everyone ignored :)
Snow covered hills in the background are more noticeable in this photograph. This whole stretch from Chauntra to Dharmshala has this wonderful view of Dhauladhar Mountain Ranges, which can usually be seen with snow layers.
Here is a view when we moved back to look at the temple - Temple on left with main gate in the frame and clouds covering front hills of Jogindernagar ...
Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche Institute is administered by Khenpo Kunga Wangchuk until his passing in 2008. Khenpo Jamyang Lösel is the new abbot, together with a faculty of ten khenpos. The student body is composed of over 500 monks from various locales and monasteries, representing all schools of Tibetan Buddhism. The curriculum encompasses a complete theoretical education in Buddhist Philosophy over nine years of study (for a Shastri degree) or eleven years of study (for an Archarya degree). Graduates may pursue further studies and responsibilities and become teachers or khenpos. Many Dzongsar graduates are now teaching the teachers of tomorrow, ensuring that the lineage of the Buddha remains unbroken. (Courtesy - This link is returning 404 now)
We thought of sitting on temple stairs for sometime and enjoy this peace.
Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche Institute produces lot of highly qualified professionals. The primary language of instruction at Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche Institute is Tibetan. This Institute also runs an intensive English language program, sponsored by Khyentse Foundation, for students in level 10 upward, to fulfill Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche's vision of a more worldly-wise set of teachers who can travel and teach across many physical and cultural divides. Khyentse Foundation also sponsors the basic operating needs of the Institute. (Courtsey - http://www.siddharthasintent.org/centres/monastic-centres/chokyi-lodro-institute.html)