Architecture of Rumtek Dharma Chakra Centre Sikkim

2. Rumtek Dharma Chakra Centre, Sikkim
History, Culture and Geography
• Rumtek Monastery in Gangtok is a
stunning shrine, both visually and
culturally.
• It is situated in eastern part of
Gangtok, 24 kilometers away from
city center at an altitude of about 5800 feet.
• The climate is temperate with an earthquake and landslide
prone zone.
• It is a temple for religious communities for priests which
encapsulates the vision and desire of Sixteenth Karmapa.
• It was built to help spread the teachings and lighten the
world with the knowledge of Buddha all through the world.
Overview
• This monastery, also
popularly known as dharma
chakra center, is the largest
monastery in Sikkim also the
home for the monk
community where they
perform the rituals and practices of the Karma Kagyu
lineage.
• The place around the monastery has many holy objects.
• It comprises of a beautifully structured main shrine temple
and monastery with monks’ quarters, a three-year retreat
center, a monastic college, etc.
Rumtek Monastery
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3. Artistic Significance
• We can see the harmony of monks, experience the heritage
of Buddhism, and get the chance to know more about the
ancient history of Buddhism through the monastery.
• The use of softer colors,
floral motives and curvilinear
patterns gave the monastery a
unique and beautiful
appearance.
• The entire structure is
magnificently covered with the
beautiful murals, frescoes, carved and painted woodwork
and traditional Tibetan style paintings.
• This monastery was the first monastery building in the
convention style and became an example for several other
monasteries built later throughout the country.
• The main entrance of the
temple is decorated with
traditional colourful murals.
Huge life-size images of the Four
Heavenly Kings. Also, what is
instantly noticeable here is the
painting of a, Lord Ganesha.
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4. Architectural Style
• The main structure of Rumtek monastery is strictly as per
traditional architectural designs of Tibetan monasteries
• The Rumtek Monastery is a 3-storeyed building, the entire
complex closes a beautifully structured shrine temple and
a monastery for the monks there are also monks’ quarters
where the Karmapa resides and where most of the
important relics are enshrined.
•
• The rooftop comprises of four storied golden structure
known as ghanzira. The ghanzira is a combination of five
distinct shapes representing the five Buddha families.
• There is a very large courtyard in front of the building in
which the guards live.
View
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5. Construction
• The Old Rumtek Monastery was originally built in 1730 by
the 9th
Karmapa 15 minutes downhill from the current
building. But it got destroyed in a fire and had to be
rebuilt.
• Sikkim was later hit with an earthquake which demanded
renovation in the already existing Rumtek Monastery.
• Stone masonry work
was reportedly the
most vulnerable to
tremors and almost
all monasteries
being built with this
type of architecture
led to a mass damage in infrastructure. Reports indicated
minor to major damages to the monastery infrastructure.
Under the circumstance it was therefore critical to upgrade.
• Later the construction was done in a combination of
rubble earth structural walls and timber members as
structural members, laid in mud mortar.
• The construction for the New Rumtek Monastery and the
other essential facilities started in the year 1962. It took
four years for the completion of construction process. The
Old Monastery Top view of old site
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6. major part of the construction was founded by the 16th
Karmapa, Royal family of Sikkim and the Government of
India under Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.
• There were many obstacles in the construction, the
remote area had no trained builders, craftsmen, or
masons. Housing was non-existent. Until a road was built,
supplies were carried up steep paths on the backs of the
workers and animals. Delivery of equipment was and
ordering building supplies was complex. During the rainy
season, working conditions were dangerous.
• But despite these obstacles, the
crew, augmented by disciples
from all over Sikkim and around
the world, worked hard for six
years to build the monastery.
Once the building was finished,
special attention was given to its
decoration and painting.
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7. Planning
• The entrance opens into a large courtyard which is
surrounded by monk quarters and other essential spaces.
We can see the main prayer hall in front and the stambhba
at the center of the courtyard.
• The ground floor of the main building has a large prayer
hall. At the entrance we see live size paintings, wall murals,
etc. The ceiling is quite high, and we see huge floor-ceiling
red columns and ancient thangkas hanging from them. It
also has an impressive library and special rooms for high-
ranking incarnate Lamas.
• The main building was decorated with the customs of
religious texts. There are many idols in the monastery
which is considered the guardian of the whole universe.
• The first floor is where the 16th
Karmapa lived the floor was
decorated with large hand
painted and intricate murals,
statues, silk paintings and
thankas. The items of his daily
use are preserved there.
• The top floor has the terrace and the entry to the small
golden stupa. From here we can see beautiful scenes of
the mountains and the whole Gangtok city.
• At the back of the main monastery, there is a stairway
which leads to the Nalanda Institute for Higher Buddhist
Studies.
• Facing the institute there are monk quarters and a large
garden for the monks to meditate and pray.
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8. 7
N
Karma Shri Nalanda Institute
Front Entry

9. Highlighting Elements
• The monastery contains of a marvelous main temple, a
monastic college, a Golden Stupa where the relics of the
16th Karmapa are preserved, a magnificent Buddha statue,
prayer bells, huge red columns, decorative murals and
paintings, and an obelisk or stambha in the courtyard.
Stambha
Prayer Bells
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Buddha Statue
Prayer Bells
Ritual Gong

10. Wikipedia.com
Scribd.com
Rumtek.org
pickyourtrail.com
Google Images