Phodong Monastery

Phodong Monastery, also written Phodang Gompa, is a Buddhist monastery in the hills of north Sikkim, in Mangan district, north of Gangtok. It goes back to the early 18th century, when it was founded by Gyurmed Namgyal, and it has served for generations as a place where monks study and practise.

The brightly painted buildings reflect the older religious architecture of Sikkim and the heritage of the former kingdom. Strings of prayer flags hang across the grounds, incense burns in the halls, and the chanting of the resident monks can often be heard by those who walk up to the gompa. It is a quiet stop for travellers on the road into north Sikkim.