Buddha Park of Ravangla

The Buddha Park of Ravangla, also called Tathagata Tsal, lies about a kilometre north of Ravangla town in south Sikkim, within the wider religious grounds of the centuries-old Rabong Monastery. It was built between 2006 and 2013 to mark the 2,550th anniversary of the Buddha's birth, as part of a state project to encourage pilgrimage and tourism. Ralang Monastery, an important Tibetan Buddhist centre, is close by.

Its centrepiece is a 130-foot statue of the Buddha made of 60 tonnes of copper using the repoussé technique, with Mount Narsing rising behind. The 14th Dalai Lama consecrated it on 25 March 2013. Wide paths lead through the grounds to Cho Djo lake, set in forest, as well as a meditation centre, a conclave hall and a museum with a spiral gallery. The park is walkable from Ravangla's bus stand, and Gangtok is about 85 kilometres away.