Gyuto Monastery near Dharamshala is one of the most important centres of Tibetan Buddhist tantric studies in exile. Set against the Dhauladhar mountains, it has a large golden-roofed prayer hall with a big Buddha statue, monk quarters, courtyards and open verandahs from which you can see the Kangra valley below. It is known for the monks’ deep multi-phonic chanting, which draws visitors during ceremonies and special pujas.
About this place
History & highlights
The Gyuto Tantric Monastery was originally founded in 1474 in Tibet by Jetsun Kunga Dhondup, a disciple of Tsongkhapa and an important figure in the Gelug tradition, to preserve tantric teachings and rituals. After the Chinese invasion of Tibet and the 1959 uprising, many Gyuto monks fled to India; the monastery was re-established in exile and eventually settled near Dharamshala, close to the Dalai Lama’s seat. In recent decades Gyuto has become a key symbol of Tibetan cultural survival in Kangra district. For tourists, it adds a strong Buddhist layer to a region otherwise dominated by Hindu Shakti and Shaiva temples, showing how Kangra today blends multiple spiritual worlds in one landscape.
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