About Perbing Monastery
Perbing Monastery is a small Nyingma gompa serving the Lepcha Buddhist community in the upper Dzongu reserve. The monastery is modest but the iconography is unusual — the walls and altar display both standard Nyingma Buddhist figures and Lepcha protective spirits (Rum) not found in mainstream Sikkimese gompas. This Lepcha-Buddhist syncretic tradition is unique to Dzongu. The setting is dramatic: the monastery stands at 1,400 m above the deep Teesta gorge, surrounded by cardamom forest, with the sound of the river far below. Visiting with a local guide adds context that no guidebook can provide.
Why go to Perbing Monastery
Lepcha-Buddhist syncretic iconography
The monastery walls display both Nyingma Buddhist iconography and Lepcha protective spirits (Rum) — a unique fusion found only in the Dzongu reserve, where Lepcha animism and Tibetan Buddhism have coexisted for centuries.
Dramatic setting above the Teesta gorge
The monastery perches above the deep Teesta gorge, surrounded by cardamom forest. The combination of river sound, forest and monastery bells makes this one of the most atmospheric stops in North Sikkim.
The significance of Perbing Monastery
A small active Nyingma gompa in the upper Dzongu reserve, distinguished by its Lepcha-Buddhist syncretic iconography — Nyingma Buddhist figures alongside Lepcha protective spirits (Rum), a fusion unique to the Dzongu Lepcha community.
What to see inside
Prayer hall and altar
The altar holds a central Buddha statue alongside Lepcha protective figures — a juxtaposition of Tibetan Buddhist and indigenous Lepcha religious traditions that is found nowhere outside the Dzongu reserve.
Outer wall paintings
The exterior walls carry paintings of Lepcha Rum (protective spirits) alongside standard Nyingma guardian figures. Your guide will be able to identify which is which — they are not labeled.
Setting above the Teesta gorge
The monastery stands on a ridge above the deep Teesta gorge. The sound of the river rises from below while the cardamom forest covers the hillside around the building — a dramatic and unusual monastic setting.
Etiquette — please read before you go
- Remove shoes at the prayer hall entrance.
- Follow your guide on any Lepcha-specific sacred protocols.
- No photography of the altar without explicit permission.
- Walk clockwise around any chorten.
- Dress modestly — Dzongu communities are traditional in outlook.
How to reach Perbing Monastery from Dzongu
Upper Dzongu reserve — accessible via local guide from your homestay. Not independently reachable.
Best time to visit Perbing Monastery
Year-round. Morning puja is at approximately 7 am and is worth timing the visit around.
Things we always tell our guests about Perbing Monastery
- Your guide will explain the Lepcha iconography — the figures on the outer walls are protective spirits, not standard Buddhist deities.
- Remove shoes at the prayer hall entrance.
- Follow your guide on any Lepcha sacred protocols — they may differ from standard Buddhist monastery etiquette.
Perbing Monastery — your questions answered
Other places in Dzongu
- Valley