Darjeeling Peace Pagoda

The Darjeeling Peace Pagoda is a white Buddhist stupa located on Jalapahar Hill in Darjeeling, West Bengal. Built under the guidance of Japanese monk Nichidatsu Fujii and designed by architect M. Ohka, its foundation was laid in 1972 and it was inaugurated on 1 November 1992. Standing 28.5 metres high with a 23-metre diameter, it displays four gilded Buddha statues and offers panoramic views of Darjeeling town and the Kanchenjunga range, serving as a symbol of peace.

Visitors can expect a white domed stupa on a forested hilltop about 2 km from Darjeeling town centre. The structure features four polished golden statues depicting different avatars of Lord Buddha, set on a raised platform with steps and a circumambulation path. The surrounding complex includes a Japanese Buddhist Temple, landscaped gardens, and open terraces offering wide views of Darjeeling, the Himalayan foothills and on clear days the Kanchenjunga range. The atmosphere is quiet and suited to sightseeing, photography and meditation.

The pagoda was built under the guidance of Japanese Buddhist monk Nichidatsu Fujii, founder of the Nipponzan-Myohoji order, who initiated construction of Peace Pagodas worldwide to promote world peace. Designed by architect M. Ohka, the foundation stone was laid on 3 November 1972 and construction was completed and inaugurated on 1 November 1992 with participation of monks and followers from Japan.

One of the tallest Peace Pagodas in India and part of the global network of Nipponzan-Myohoji Peace Pagodas, it is an important Buddhist pilgrimage and cultural site symbolizing non-violence and universal peace. The pagoda enshrines four avatars of Buddha and is closely associated with the adjacent Japanese Temple where daily prayers and drumming are held.