Padmasambhava Mahavihara Monastery

Padmasambhava Mahavihara Monastery is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery located at Jirang in Chandragiri, Gajapati district, Odisha. Often called the largest Buddhist monastery in Eastern India, it is situated within the Tibetan settlement of Chandragiri, known as Mini Tibet of Odisha. Inaugurated in 2010, the monastery features traditional Tibetan architecture, vibrant murals and a 23-metre statue of Guru Padmasambhava, serving as a major spiritual and cultural centre.

Visitors can expect a large Tibetan-style monastery complex set in a quiet rural valley surrounded by hills. The main prayer hall houses a 23-metre statue of Guru Padmasambhava, colorful thangka paintings, murals and traditional Tibetan architectural details. The complex includes landscaped gardens, prayer wheels, and open courtyards. Visitors can walk through the main hall, observe monks in prayer, and explore the peaceful settlement area around the monastery.

The monastery was built between 2003 and 2010 to serve the Tibetan refugee community resettled in Chandragiri in the early 1960s. It was inaugurated by the 14th Dalai Lama in 2010. The settlement at Chandragiri was established in 1963 following the arrival of Tibetan refugees, and the monastery was constructed as a central place of worship and learning for the community.

The monastery is a major centre of Tibetan Buddhism in Eastern India and preserves Tibetan art, architecture and religious practices. It is dedicated to Guru Padmasambhava, revered as the founder of Tibetan Buddhism, and serves as a spiritual and cultural hub for the Tibetan settlement at Chandragiri as well as for Buddhist pilgrims and visitors.