Monasteries in the Mist: The Japanese Peace Pagoda & Ancient Ghoom

While Darjeeling’s colonial heritage and tea culture are celebrated worldwide, the spiritual soul of these mountains is rooted in Tibetan and East Asian Buddhism. High above the forest ridges, away from the bustling shopping avenues of the Mall, sacred stupas and monastic sanctuaries offer travelers profound silence, rhythmic chanting, and sweeping vistas of the Eastern Himalayas.

Two spiritual monuments in particular stand as towering beacons of peace: the Japanese Peace Pagoda on the slopes of Jalapahar and the venerable Yiga Choeling Monastery in Ghoom.

The Japanese Peace Pagoda: A Beacon Born of Tragedy

Perched on the tranquil pine slopes of Jalapahar Hill, the sparkling white dome of the Japanese Peace Pagoda rises 28.5 meters into the sky. It was founded under the guidance of Nichidatsu Fujii (affectionately known as Guruji), a Japanese Buddhist monk and founder of the Nipponzan-Myohoji Buddhist order.

In 1931, Fujii met Mahatma Gandhi at Wardha in central India, deeply internalizing Gandhi’s philosophy of non-violence (Ahimsa). Following the atomic devastation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, Fujii vowed to spend the remainder of his life constructing monumental Peace Pagodas across the globe—symbols of nuclear disarmament, universal brotherhood, and spiritual reconciliation.

The Architecture of Peace

Consecrated in November 1992, the Darjeeling Peace Pagoda features four magnificent sandstone reliefs depicting the major stages of Gautama Buddha’s life:

• The Birth: Maya Devi giving birth under the Sal tree.
• Enlightenment: Siddhartha Gautama attaining Bodhi beneath the Bodhi tree.
• First Sermon: Turning the Wheel of Law (Dharmachakra Pravartana) at Sarnath.
• Parinirvana: The Buddha resting peacefully in Mahaparinirvana at Kushinagar.

Just adjacent to the Pagoda sits the Nipponzan Myohoji Buddhist Temple. If you visit during morning meditation (4:30 AM to 6:00 AM) or evening prayers (4:30 PM to 6:00 PM), you will be invited to sit on tatami mats, handed a round wooden drum (taiko), and encouraged to chant the universal mantra: Na-Mu-Myo-Ho-Ren-Ge-Kyo ("I take refuge in the Lotus Sutra").

Yiga Choeling (Old Ghoom Monastery): Guardian of the Maitreya Buddha

Established in 1850 by the erudite Mongolian astrologer and monk Lama Sherab Gyatso, Yiga Choeling is the oldest Tibetan Buddhist monastery in the Darjeeling district. It belongs to the Gelugpa (Yellow Hat) sect, the school of Tibetan Buddhism headed by His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

The 15-Foot Golden Buddha of the Future

Step through the heavy wooden doorways flanked by vivid frescoes of the Four Guardian Kings into the prayer hall, and you are immediately confronted by the awe-inspiring statue of Maitreya Buddha (Jampa). Standing 15 feet tall, the statue was sculpted using clay brought entirely from the holy lakes and mountains of Tibet.

Inside the hollow core of this sacred statue, according to monastic records, are sealed sacred relics, jewels, gold leaf, and precious handwritten Buddhist scriptures. Flanking the altar are shelves containing the complete 108-volume Kangyur (the canonical words of the Buddha) and 225-volume Tengyur (philosophical commentaries), printed using ancient wooden blocks on handmade mulberry paper.

"In Ghoom, time dissolves. The fragrance of burning juniper incense, the flickering light of a hundred butter lamps, and the chanting of young monks create a stillness that settles deep within your chest." — Traveler Journal, Hidden Monkey

Spiritual Travel Tips for Visitors

• Dress Respectfully: Wear modest clothing covering shoulders and knees when visiting both sanctuaries.
• Silence & Photography: Photography is permitted outside the temples and around the pagoda grounds, but strictly prohibited inside the inner sanctum of Ghoom Monastery while monks are praying.
• Walking from Town: A scenic 45-minute downhill walk from Chowrasta along Jalapahar Road brings you straight to the Peace Pagoda, passing colonial-era pine groves and glimpses of the valley.
• Butter Lamp Offering: For a nominal donation (₹20 to ₹50), you can light a brass butter lamp at Ghoom Monastery as a traditional blessing for world peace and good health.