Your Ultimate Guide to Rangjung Woesel Choeling Monastery in Bhutan

Founded in 1989 by His Eminence Dungsey Garab Dorje Rinpoche, this important Buddhist monastery helps keep the teachings of Tibetan Buddhism alive. With its colorful paintings and lovely buildings, the monastery is home to many monks and nuns who live and practice their faith there. 

Located in eastern Bhutan, in the Trashigang district at Rangjung, this monastery is perfect for anyone wanting to explore Bhutan’s beautiful monasteries! Let’s discover more about this hidden gem and see why it’s a must-visit on your trip!

Rangjung Woesel Choeling Monastery History

Rangjung Woesel Choeling Monastery History connects to an earlier monastery called Gelong Gonpa. This earlier monastery was created in a hard-to-reach mountainous area. After the departure of an important teacher, many Bhutanese wanted Rinpoche to continue teaching and practicing Buddhism at the new monastery. Seeing their strong belief, Rinpoche agreed to take on the responsibility of guiding the community’s spiritual activities.

When the monastery started, Rinpoche was studying in India and spent his winter breaks working hard to establish the monastery. At first, there were only a few monks and nuns living in simple bamboo huts. By 1993, the number of nuns grew so much that a separate nunnery was built nearby. With help from donors, Rinpoche was able to construct a larger monastery to support the growing community.

Today, over 300 monks and nuns study there!

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