Lava Monastery

Lava Monastery, also known as Kagyu Thekchen Ling Monastery, is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery located in the hill town of Lava in Kalimpong district, West Bengal. Situated at about 2,350 metres near Neora Valley National Park, it is an important centre of the Kagyu lineage. Known for its colourful architecture, prayer halls, and serene Himalayan setting, it serves as both a religious institution for monks and a popular sightseeing stop for visitors exploring Lava and surrounding forests.

Visitors can expect a colourful Tibetan Buddhist monastery set on a hillside in Lava surrounded by pine forests and Himalayan views. The complex includes a main prayer hall with Buddhist murals, thangkas, statues and prayer wheels, residential quarters for monks, and an open courtyard. The atmosphere is quiet and contemplative, with opportunities to observe daily prayers, walk around the monastery grounds, and enjoy views of the surrounding valleys and Neora Valley forests.

Lava Monastery was established in the late 1980s and inaugurated in 1990 under the guidance of the 3rd Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche, a prominent figure of the Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. It was built to serve as a centre for Buddhist study and practice in the Lava region and houses monks and religious artefacts associated with the lineage.

The monastery is an important Tibetan Buddhist cultural and religious centre for the local Buddhist community and visitors. It preserves Tibetan architectural style, Buddhist art, scriptures and rituals, and functions as a place for prayer, meditation and religious festivals. It reflects the Tibetan Buddhist heritage of the Kalimpong hills.