SSC
The Phodong Monastery is located in:
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Answer: Option C — Sikkim
Detailed Solution
Phodong Monastery is located in the Mangan (North Sikkim) district of Sikkim, about 28-38 km from Gangtok, on the North Sikkim Highway.
About Phodong Monastery:
- It is one of the six most important monasteries of Sikkim.
- It belongs to the "Karma Kagyu" sect of Tibetan Buddhism.
- It was built in the early 18th century under the patronage of the fourth Chogyal (king) of Sikkim, Gyurmed Namgyal, and was later rebuilt.
- It is known for its ancient murals (wall paintings) and its religious festival.
- It hosts an annual festival ("Chaam" masked dance) in the tenth month of the Tibetan calendar (around December), before Losoong (the Sikkimese New Year).
- The nearby "Labrang Monastery" (Nyingma sect) is a short distance uphill.
About Buddhism in Sikkim:
- Buddhism was introduced to Sikkim by Guru Padmasambhava in the 8th century.
- In 1642, three lamas consecrated Phuntsog Namgyal as the first Chogyal of Sikkim at Yuksom, starting the Namgyal dynasty, which ruled until 1975, when Sikkim became the 22nd state of India.
- Most Buddhists in Sikkim follow the Nyingma and Kagyu sects.
Other important monasteries of Sikkim:
- Rumtek Monastery (near Gangtok): the largest monastery in Sikkim; the seat of the Karmapa (the head of the Karma Kagyu sect) in exile; built in the 1960s.
- Pemayangtse Monastery (near Pelling): one of the oldest (1705); Nyingma sect; famous for a seven-tiered wooden model of Guru Padmasambhava's heavenly palace ("Zangdok Palri").
- Tashiding Monastery (West Sikkim): famous for the "Bumchu" festival.
- Enchey Monastery (Gangtok).
- Dubdi Monastery (Yuksom): believed to be the oldest monastery in Sikkim (1701).
- Ralang Monastery (South Sikkim).
Festivals of Sikkim:
Losar (Tibetan New Year), Losoong (Sikkimese New Year), Saga Dawa (the Buddha's birth, enlightenment and nirvana), and Pang Lhabsol (worship of Mount Kangchenjunga).
Why not the other options?
- ✗Arunachal Pradesh has the Tawang Monastery.
- ✗Ladakh has monasteries such as Hemis and Thiksey.
- ✗Himachal Pradesh has monasteries such as Tabo and Key.
Quick tip
Remember: Phodong Monastery = North Sikkim (Karma Kagyu; 18th century; murals; Chaam dance festival); Rumtek = largest in Sikkim (seat of the Karmapa); Pemayangtse = near Pelling; Dubdi = oldest (Yuksom, 1701).
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Monuments & Religious Places — Preparation
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This topic covers India's important monuments, temples, mosques, churches, gurudwaras and pilgrimage sites, who built them and when, their architectural styles, and India's UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Questions ask who built a monument, where it is located, or which dynasty or style it belongs to. For example, the Qutub Minar was begun by Qutbuddin Aibak, and the Sun Temple at Konark was built by the Eastern Ganga king Narasimhadeva I. Revise the UNESCO World Heritage Sites as a list, noting the most recent additions. Practise the monuments and religious places questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.