Facilities like toilets are also available in the vicinity.Īlso Read: Yiga Choeling Monastery Darjeeling – The Old Ghoom Monastery Image Credits: Wikimedia Commons Location Prayer timings are from 4:30 am to 6:00 am, and 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm. The opening hours of the temple are from 4:30 am in the morning up to 7:00 pm daily. Suggested Read: Batasia Loop, A Must- Visit During your Darjeeling Vacation Opening Hours of Japanese temple and Peace Pagoda The snow peaks are clearly visible from here on a clear day. As you look around to the left, you will see the mountain range. Behind that there are rows of pine trees. You get wonderful views, from the top of the pagoda and also see the Japanese Temple at a distance. During the Parikrama, one will see the four avatars of Buddha that includes Buddha’s postures such as sitting, sleeping, standing and meditating. You can witness beautiful artwork etched on sandstones that look like a wooden framework depicting the life of Buddha and his relics. Image Credits: Wikimedia CommonsĪt the pinnacle, take a walk (‘Parikrama’) around the pagoda. Ohka of Japan designed The Peace Pagoda which took three years to construct. All large statues of the avatars of Buddha are carved in the walls and polished in gold colour. You will see two concrete models of lions on two sides at a lower level, as you climb up the stairs in the Pagoda. Its height is 28.5 meters and diameter is 23 meters. This is the tallest free-standing structure in Darjeeling. In Kumamoto, Japan, the first Peace Pagoda was built by Fujii Guruji in the year 1954.įour avatars of Buddha are showcased by the Peace Pagoda. According to the Lotus Sutra, it purifies the land as well as the mind and soul of the people. The appearance of the Peace Pagoda is a depiction of Lord Buddha radiating peace and non-violence. On November 3, 1972, the foundation stone of the Peace Pagoda was laid by Nichidatsu Fujii and on November 1, 1992, it was subsequently opened. The Peace Pagoda is close to the temple some 100 yards away. Inside the temple, photography is allowed but at the same time, it is prohibited in the prayer room when the prayer is going on.Īlso Read: Baba Mandir, Sikkim -Must Visit During your Darjeeling Vacation You will be offered small sweet balls on your exit that represent the deity’s blessings. You will be amazed how such a small pad too can generate similar resonating sound. You too can drum in the same rhythm, hence a small drumming pad and a stick will be given to you for the same. You will be invited to sit and join the prayer, as you enter the room. What adds to the solemn atmosphere is the humming sound and the chants. In the prayer room, a huge drum is beaten (also known as Ho-ko) from which a reverberating sound originates and fills the entire temple premises. If you can time it right, you will see the present Guruji or the chief priest offering the prayers. You can join the prayers and get an opportunity for introspection and feel the divine peace the temple offers. From 4:30 am to 6:00 am in the morning and again from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm in the evening are the prayer timings. You will reach the large prayer room upstairs, as you walk up the wooden stairs. Fujii Guruji was also a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi apart from being the founder and preceptor of “Nipponzan Myohoji.” He had seen the tragedy of the atom bomb in Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. “Nipponzan Myohoji” was started by Fujii Guruji. It’s a Buddhist religious temple, hence there is also a model of Buddha. There is a picture of the founder Fujii Guruji, as you enter the temple. Suggested Read: Best places to visit in South Sikkim – Best sides of Sikkim You will reach another gate, as you walk along, and some flights of stairs that lead to the Japanese Temple. You will notice a few small houses on the right with prayer flags fluttering in front of them on the way. These days a walk for about 5-6 minutes is required from the main gate along a narrow road that first goes downhill and then uphill. Image Credits: Wikimedia CommonsĮarlier through the main gate of the temple premises, the car could enter and park right below the temple. From the top of the Pagoda, you get a panoramic view of the Darjeeling landscape including the Kanchenjunga range. The Peace Pagoda that showcases four avatars of Lord Buddha is close to the temple. In 1972, the two-storied white building was built in a traditional Japanese style. The temple’s other name is Nipponzan Myohoji Buddhist Temple. From the Darjeeling town centre, there is a wonderful Japanese temple and Peace Pagoda located at a 10 minutes driving distance.
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