Namdroling Monastery (Golden Temple)
ཐེག་མཆོག་རྣམ་གྲོལ་གླིང
India's largest Nyingma monastery of Tibetan Buddhism. Inside the Golden Temple, three gilded statues, each about 18 meters tall, are breathtaking.
Namdroling Monastery lies in the Tibetan settlement of Bylakuppe, near Kushalnagar. Founded in 1963 by Penor Rinpoche, it is one of the largest Nyingma teaching centers in the world, with several thousand resident monks. The core 'Golden Temple' (Padmasambhava Buddhist Vihara) houses three gilded statues, each about 18 meters tall, of Shakyamuni Buddha, Padmasambhava, and Amitayus, with vividly colored murals. Admission is free, and it is open roughly 07:00 to 20:00. Remove your shoes before entering the halls, and dress modestly. Nearby, Tibetan restaurants and small shops selling Tibetan crafts offer momos and butter tea. It is about 35 kilometers from Madikeri.
Opening hours
07:00–20:00
Nearby sights
- Cauvery Nisargadhama
- Harangi Dam & Elephant Camp
- Dubare Elephant Camp
- Omkareshwara Temple
- Gaddige (Raja's Tombs)
- Madikeri Fort
- Raja's Seat
- Abbey Falls