Ever since we’re back in India, we’ve spent the last three years exploring nondescript places and hidden gems of our diverse country. But, ever so often, we try to mix it up with a tourist hot spot and are pleasantly surprised. This trip was one part of our journey to discover the rich cultural legacy of my home state: Karnataka
My first trip to Bylakuppe was nearly two decades earlier with my parents. The trip was part of a sightseeing tour for the delegates of an international conference (chaired by my father) in my hometown (Mangaluru). I remember being deeply moved by our visit to the Namdroling Monastery. Personally, I knew that some day, I would want to come back to visit with Basil.
Getting there:
Located in the Kodagu (Coorg) District of Karnataka, Bylakuppe is above an hour’s drive from Mysuru (83 KM) and Coorg’s capital city: Madikeri (40 KM). Mysuru is connected to the rest of India by air, the railways, and road. Alternatively, you can visit Bylakuppe from the state capital, Bangaluru (216 KM) or the coastal city, Mangaluru (178 KM). Both cities are well connected to the rest of the country and also have international airports.
Our road trip from Mangaluru to Bylakuppe took us through some familiar winding turns along the mountain roads of Coorg. The roads were in very good condition and a treat to drive on. Although, those turns are quite sharp and I did feel a bit queasy. Fortunately, the mountain views more than make up for that unsettling feeling in your gut.
Best time to visit
Bylakuppe is situated at an altitude of roughly 850 m (2788 ft) above sea level. For most, this would be the ideal escape from the heat of the Indian plains. However, Bylakuppe is at the lowest altitude when compared to the other Tibetan settlements in India (Ladakh, Sikkim, and Dharamshala).
We have visited all of these high altitude Himalayan mountain states/towns and have struggled with the cold as well as low oxygen. Recent studies have found the Tibetan settlers of Bylakuppe to have considerably adapted to the low altitude. Read more here.
I had first visited Bylakuppe in winter. Without a doubt, October to February, is the best time to visit this mountain escape. The next best season would be the monsoon. Between June and September, the rains fill up the waterfalls and turn the mountains green. Although, fog can make driving conditions dangerous in both seasons. It’s best to check those fog lights before your drive.
Summer used to be (March till May) equally nice before climate change killed it. We visited last summer and it was sweltering hot with the humidity melting us by noon.
The Namdroling Monastery
Origins
Bylakuppe, spread over an area of 3000 acres, was established in 1960 by the then Government of Mysore (present day Karnataka state). It was a new home for the scores of Tibetan asylum seekers who were displaced from Tibet. Over the course of the next couple of decades, Bylakuppe grew in terms of settlements and population. Currently, it is believed to be the largest Tibetan settlement in the world.
Namdroling Monastery was founded, in 1963, by Tibetan spiritual monk, His Holiness the 3rd Drubwang Pema Norbu Rinpoche. The Dalai Lama christened this new monastery as Namdroling.
The names Thegchog, Shedrub, and Dargyeling were subsequently added by other pivotal monks. Literally translated, the monastery’s full name reads as: Land of Increasing Practice and Teaching of the Utmost Yana that achieves spontaneous Liberation.
Parking & Tickets
There’s a large parking lot for tour buses and private vehicles outside the monastery. The parking lot also has restrooms and a cafeteria. We decided to ignore our hunger pangs and headed straight to the ticket booth. It was the long Easter holiday weekend and many tourists had already filled the parking lot.
Visitors are allowed between 7 a.m till 7 p.m. in the evening. Despite the harsh sun, there were visitors buzzing all around at noon.
Temple visitor etiquette
The Golden Temple is an active place of prayer, remorse, and meditation. As with most places of veneration, it would be good practice to be mindful of your actions inside the temple. There’s lots to take in — without disturbing those who seek solitude here. Leave your shoes at the special counter for belongings. Enter with no expectations. And who knows: you might just be rewarded with a moment of peace in this chaotic world.
For a more detailed version of temple visitor etiquette click here.
The Golden Temple
Padmasambhava Buddhist Vihara is the original name of the Golden Temple. The temple got nicknamed as the Golden Temple to help visitors find it with ease.
My heart nearly skipped a beat when I saw the magnificent temple in front of me. It was nearly two decades since I’d been here. Back then, I was in my final year of a physics program. I had distanced myself from organised belief of any kind. But, when I entered the grand hall of the Golden Temple, I was taken by a feeling that I hadn’t felt before. I think: they call it peace. This experience left a lasting impression on my mind.
I’d be lying if I said that I entered the main hall of the Golden Temple without any expectations. It’s not been easy adjusting to a new life in my hometown. Neither has it been easy caring for aging parents. And it’s definitely not been easy trying to find myself — when it’s easier to get lost.
I’ve struggled with meditation (like anxiety) for the better part of my life. The more I tried to keep a blank mind, the louder my thoughts got. I often tried yoga and meditation apps to help me keep calm. Sometimes they’d work. More often than not, panic attacks would take a strong hold of me.
It’s always been a constant battle to drown out the noise. To learn to breathe correctly. To take each day as it comes. To unlearn what I’ve been taught through my life. And to come to the realization: there doesn’t need to be a higher purpose to life. Living a meaningful life — can be good enough.
The mind is complex. Fear isn’t rational. Perceptions often feel more true than the truth itself. How do you know how to be content with less. Is less truly more? How do you learn to let go? And if you do let go, how do you know that you won’t get hurt again? Can you truly forgive without forgetting. And above all, how do you learn to forgive yourself?
As we sat in the prayer hall, my mind raced in all directions. Most visitors thought it was a place of recreation. Perhaps a unique backdrop for an unforgettable selfie. Others exuded scholastic information to those willing to lend a listening ear.
Few devotees, entered the main sanctum and offered prayers. By lunchtime, the feet stopped pattering and the cameras stopped clicking. In those languid moments, my restless mind slowly began to zone out. Did I successfully drown out the noise or was it just the sound of silence? I’d truly never know.
Around the Golden Temple
The Namdroling Monastery Complex has many smaller prayers halls on the other side of the Golden Temple. Please remove your shoes before entering these shrines.
Each prayer hall is like a small shrine that is dedicated to a presiding buddha. I must confess, it was a lot to take in and the heat got the better of us. The paintings and gold inlays were truly remarkable and the mandala on the ceiling was spectacular. But, temple fatigue was beginning to set in and it was hard to ignore the pangs of hunger.
The smaller shrines didn’t seem to attract too many tourists. They were quieter and more ideal for those seeking solitude. Handpaintings and bright colours adorned every viable surface. It might have been nice to stay for a bit and ruminate. However, we had to go to Mysore after this visit and we didn’t want reach very late.
The temple complex also has a beautiful garden and some striking buildings. In another season, I’d have liked to have stayed back. There are many homestays in Bylakuppe and it might have been nice to attend the monks prayer service. But, summer is cruel, and it’s hard for the mind to conquer the body.
What to take back?
We exited the main temple complex and headed to the souvenir shops. There’s lots to buy if you want to support local Tibetan arts and crafts. We bought some prayer flags, incense sticks, and fridge magnets. The prayer flags are still fluttering outside our apartment window after a year.
What to Eat?
We were famished by the time we reached the restaurants outside the main ticketing area. Everything was vegetarian because of its proximity to the temple complex. We didn’t really care. It was ages since we ate authentic Tibetan cuisine and we were over the moon. The meal was simple and bland — just as we hoped it to be. All in all, it was a great way to call it a day before heading to Mysore.
Additional Reading
There’s so much I couldn’t write and if you’re interested, take a look below:
1. South Asia’s Tibetan Refugee Community Is Shrinking, Imperiling Its Long-Term Future
2. The official site of Namdroling Monastery
3. How to hang and dispose of Tibetan prayer flags respectfully
It’s been s as long time – good to hear from you again and interesting read.
Thanks, Karen! I was nearly giving up on writing and the blog itself. It was too much! Then the blog faced some technical glitches and I had to update a couple of posts. That got me revisiting our older posts. It just clicked something in me. 🙂 I’m not sure how regular I will be though. 🙁 I hope you’re doing well!xo
I have moments where I want to throw it all away , too, then something triggers me back, as you found. Weirdly, this time it was Cee’s illness and then death. She has motivated me for so long. Ah well, I’m here for now.
I’m so sad to hear about Cee. I used to follow her from the days of the WP photo challenge. But, after I shifted to a seld-hosted site it’s been quite a task to stay linked with WP. I’ve lost in touch with many bloggers that I used to follow and they with me (I got temporarily disconnected with WP Reader). This tech stuff surely gets tricky. It is hard to stay blogging when life keeps getting in the way. I hear you. I do hope you continue blogging. Take care! xo.
I had no idea there was a Tibetan monastery in Karnataka. It’s odd to see the typical architecture surrounded by lush gardens instead of barren hills. Maggie
Yes, this one is quite a surprise for many. It was the first Tibetan monastery that I visited. We’ve visited many across India and Mongolia. The Korean and Japanese Buddhist monasteries follow different orders. Coorg is quite fantastic actually, known for hiking, wildlife, and lovely mountain ranges. Not as high as the northern peaks though. I’m not sure if my comment got registered on your blog. I loved your trip to Spain. Also, I was thinking about your blog because we’re planning a trip to central Asia soon. It’s taken us 2 years since your trip to even think about it!
Ohhh you’ll love Central Asia! Don’t hesitate to ask if you have questions.
I prefer Tibetan monasteries to others we’ve seen. They’re very modest, without much gold, and yet highly decorated
Awww! Thanks a bunch, Maggie! We have visited Uzbekistan in 2019! You’re right, we absolutely loved it! I haven’t finished writing my posts yet. :)I’ve forwarded your blog to Basil. He’s been complaining he hasn’t found too many blogs on the region. We have a tight schedule because of Basil’s leave. So we have taken a mix of a tour and hope to explore the bigger cities on our own. We will use your blog as a template wherever possible. It definitely is the inspiration for us wanting to go back again.xo
Oh right, I forgot you went to Uzbekistan. I guess it depends what you want to see, but we loved the people in the Pamirs, Tajikistan, and the scenery in Eastern Kyrgyzstan. 😊
Hi Maggie! I know I’ve taken forever to reply. 🙂 After writing this post, we left for our epic adventure to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. I must confess, your blog motivated to think of these two countries. After two years of manifesting, it happened, despite all the turmoil that was around us! It was amazing! Basil wants to go back to do the Pamir Highway. Explore some of the other countries in central Asia. It’s a bit difficult to travel international because we based in a smaller town and managing schedules etc… It’s easier to drive around. 🙂
I hope you write about the trip 😊
I hope so too! 🙂 I left a comment on your Armenia trip. But, I’m not sure if it got saved. Loved those landscapes. Adding it to our list! xo
I saw your comment. And I replied, but maybe you didn’t get the reply. If so thats the second time that has happened lately.
Oooh, ever since I’ve shifted to self-hosted I’m facing a lot of issues with writing comments because it’s a different interface to comment on WP blogs. I will check the settings. 🙁
I realized I did not know you were back in India permanently! I do recall some posts about your parents, particularly your mother’s fall. I wonder if I did read and maybe even comment on something a few years ago and just forgot?! That is entirely possible as I have also moved about 18 months ago and have had a huge spike in parental involvement (and then, sadly, the loss of my mom a few months ago).
In any case, it’s nice to see you here again and especially with a post full of Tibetan themes. (Strange timing, too, because I had just inquired about a trip to Ladakh this week.) I do love a good old Buddhist temple or monastery, and these photos almost brought me the same kind of peace you felt when you walked into the Golden Temple.
I wish you continued peace and enjoyment of your new-old country!
I’m so sorry for your loss my dear friend. It couldn’t have been easy. I don’t even know if there’s anything that I could say that would heal your pain. I lost 2 maternal aunts and another close family friend (almost like an aunt) last year. It took me a while to get out of the funk. I thought I had time to meet them and it was all so sudden. 🙁 I do remember you saying that you had to make some trips to your parents place. I just didn’t think this would happen…hugs
When Basil’s work shifted completely to wfh in 2020, we knew we wanted to come back. It took us longer because of the pandemic, vaccines, paperwork etc…I never really liked being an expat and knew we’d return someday. On my side, it’s just me because my siblings are in 2 different continents. Basil’s younger brother lives in the same city as his parents. There was some pressure from Basil’s work to head to another country, but it’s taken so long to settle here and get everything in order that I just couldn’t even think about it. Since that fall, Basil’s mom and my dad had falls too. And mom had another fall on Christmas of ’23. I knew I had to be here in my hometown because that just made sense.
I’m so glad some of these pictures brought you peace. Ladakh is a fantastic place and the trip from Manali to Leh one of the best we’ve been on. It’s rough. But that was 14 years ago. Now I hear there’s glamping and there’s a new tunnel that cuts travel time significantly. Timing is everything, but these days its hard to predict anything. The mountain roads open in the monsoon months, but it’s also risky because of flash floods. 🙁 We drove from the south to the north Shimla in 2022 and had to return before we could explore Spiti because the weather got bad. All the best! Is it just Ladakh for now?
Thank you so much for all your kind words. It has been hard, but at least my mother lived a long, full life. That is my small consolation. I totally remember your trip to Ladakh and the neighboring towns! I’m not sure it is going to work out for me this summer, but it will remain on my list for sure. Thanks for filling me in on all your deliberations about moving; it sounds like you made the very best choice for yourself and your family. Hope all those people stay on their feet for a nice, long while! 🙂
I’m glad you’ve been able to find your peace. That’s what matters the most! And thank you for all your kind word and encouragement — wherever I’ve been. From Seoul to my hometown. 🙂 I do hope Ladakh works out for you in the near future. And let me know if you need any help! 🙂 xo
Its been a long time and I am so happy reading this 🙂
고마워요 내 사랑 <3
Back with a bang, what better than visiting a Tibetan Monastery.
Omg! Zubin! Where are you? It took me a while to figure who this is. I never knew Farokh was your middle name. 🙂 Just to be sure, you’re the Annapurna circuit guy who I worked with and met in 2017? Good ‘ol Bandra days! Yeah, there’s so much to write and I’m just drowning with settling in (after 3 years) and finding time for this blog. But, seriously it’s so good to connect. And thanks for the pep comment. I surely needed it!
I never realized so many Tibetans were in India, although it make sense.
Really? I’m surprised you didn’t know. They’re mostly in the northern parts of India. The climatic conditions are perfect for them. Bylakuppe is a surprise, but I guess back in the day it wasn’t that warm. Coorg is known for its cool climate. 🙂
🤗 so wonderful to read about your adventures in India. I love how you captured the intricate details of the monastery’s decoration. And the meal looks delicious.
Thank you so much! Sorry, for the delayed reply. I’ve got so many stories to tell! It’s not easy for get back to the blog with life always getting in the way. Hope you’re doing well. It’s good to hear from you!
Life does have a way of doing that! It’s marvelous to hear you’re doing well. I’ve missed staying in touch with you through our blog posts. Wishing you a lovely New Year!