Bon Yung Dung Monastery

Bon Yung Dung Monastery is the only monastery of the Bon religion in Sikkim, located in Kewzing village near Ravangla in Namchi District. Set amid forested hills with views of the Himalayas, it serves as a centre for the ancient Bon tradition that predates Tibetan Buddhism. The monastery features traditional Tibetan-style architecture, prayer halls, religious murals and statues, and is notable for preserving Bon teachings, rituals and culture in Sikkim.

Visitors can expect a peaceful monastery complex set in a quiet forested hillside above Kewzing village. The site includes a main prayer hall with colourful murals, thangkas, statues and ritual objects, surrounded by monks' quarters and open courtyards. The surroundings offer views of hills and valleys, with prayer flags and a calm atmosphere suitable for sightseeing, photography of exteriors, and observing daily prayers and monastic life.

Bon Yung Dung Monastery is historically significant as the only Bon monastery in Sikkim. It was established in the late 1980s to provide a centre for the Bon tradition, which is considered the pre-Buddhist spiritual tradition of Tibet, and to preserve its scriptures, rituals and monastic lineage for the small Bon community settled in Kewzing after coming from Tibet.

The monastery is culturally significant as the principal centre of the Bon religion in Sikkim. It preserves Bon philosophy, rituals, chants, thangkas and religious art distinct from Tibetan Buddhism. It serves as a place of worship, learning and cultural preservation for followers of Yungdrung Bon and offers visitors insight into this ancient tradition.