Namgyal Institute of Tibetology, Research center and museum in Gangtok, India
The Namgyal Institute of Tibetology is a museum and research center housing one of the world's largest collections of Tibetan manuscripts, paintings, and religious objects. The exhibition galleries display Buddhist artwork, ancient scrolls, and sacred objects spanning different centuries of Tibetan tradition.
The institute was founded in 1957 when the 14th Dalai Lama laid the cornerstone, and was formally inaugurated by India's Prime Minister in 1958. This establishment marked an important moment for documenting and preserving Tibetan cultural heritage in Sikkim.
The institute preserves Tibetan Buddhist traditions through its extensive text collections and documents the religious practices of the region. Visitors can understand the depth of Sikkim's spiritual culture through the materials and ongoing research here.
The institute is open Monday through Saturday and provides access to museum galleries as well as research libraries with scholarly materials. Plan to spend adequate time exploring the extensive collections and studying the detailed displays.
The institute houses a department dedicated to Sowa Rigpa, which is traditional Tibetan medicine, an ancient healing system rarely found in the modern world. It also offers a specialized Master's program in Buddhist and Tibetan Studies for students seeking deeper knowledge.
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