Bhutia Busty Monastery

Bhutia Busty Monastery, also known as Karma Dorjee Chyoling Monastery, is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery located in the Bhutia Busty area of Darjeeling, West Bengal. Established in 1879 by Chogyal Thutob Namgyal of Sikkim and belonging to the Nyingma (Red Sect) tradition, it was relocated from Observatory Hill to its present site. Notable for its traditional Tibetan architecture, murals, Buddhist scriptures and views of Kanchenjunga, it remains an active centre of worship and culture.

Visitors can expect a tranquil hilltop monastery complex with traditional Tibetan architecture, a prayer hall housing statues of Lord Buddha and Guru Padmasambhava, colourful murals and thangkas, and a library of Buddhist scriptures. The monastery is set in a quiet residential area below Chowrasta with views of the surrounding hills and on clear days Kanchenjunga. Visitors can observe monks in prayer, walk around the courtyard and experience a calm, spiritual atmosphere.

Originally built in 1879 by Chogyal Thutob Namgyal, the Chogyal (Monarch) of Sikkim, on Observatory Hill in Darjeeling. After damage caused by an earthquake in 1934, the monastery was rebuilt and relocated to its present site in Bhutia Busty. It is one of the oldest monasteries in Darjeeling and has historically served the local Bhutia community.

Belongs to the Nyingma school, the oldest school of Tibetan Buddhism also known as the Red Sect. It is an important religious and cultural centre for the Tibetan Buddhist community in Darjeeling, housing sacred texts, thangkas and ritual objects, and hosting regular prayers and religious festivals.