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Arunachal Pradesh

Singsur Ani Gompa

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Major Airports :

Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport (GAU), Guwahati

Tezpur Airport (Salonibari Air Force Station) (TEZ), Tezpur

Nearest Railway Station :

Rangapara Railway Station (RPAN)

Major Airports :

Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport (GAU), Guwahati

Tezpur Airport (Salonibari Air Force Station) (TEZ), Tezpur

The women-ruled monastery

In the Northeast of India, near Bhutan in Arunachal Pradesh is the small but beautiful city of Tawang, 8700 feet high from the sea the city is a beautiful conjunction of mountains, rivers, clouds and much more beauty that keeps you hooked to it. Tawang is not just a town with beautiful mountains, lush green trees, snow-capped peaks, and sparkling rivers and waterfalls. It is also home to Buddhist monasteries and Gompas, making it an important place with a rich history of Buddhism and Buddhist practices.

In between all these colourful Buddhist flags, inscriptions, teachings and more lies the Singsur Ani Gompa. Nestled at 9900 feet from the sea, Singsur Ani Gompa is a nunnery for Buddhist nuns. Residing up to 30 nuns, this is said to be one of the oldest Gompas which was revived in the 1960s by Rev. Gonpatse Rinpoche, while the old Gompa is still there as well in the Shaa huts of the nuns or Anis.

The Gompas are not a new thing but are a traditional practice that has been followed since the time of Buddha and have given women a separate and private space to practise their beliefs and religion while helping each other out, making it a great example of self-dependency and women supporting women. 

An epitome of simplicity

The Gompa is not done in a very special manner, it is done simplistically, it's a basic hut-shaped space made out of stones to ensure durability showing the simple life of nuns living there. It's adorned with inscriptions and colourful Buddhist flags that make the space aesthetically appealing and tell the story of beauty in simplicity beyond the use of magnificent architecture or art.

The nuns living in this Gompa are equally simple with their lifestyle, they too are not engaged with a lot of worldly pleasures and lead a very simple life. Their day starts with morning prayers and chants that purify the environment of the whole place, welcoming good energies into the place, this is then followed by learning and reading scriptures, preaching and contemplating the application of the learnings in their real life. They then engage in communal activities of maintaining the Gompa, cleaning it, cooking food and doing other basic chores.

Further, they offer flowers, lamps or incense sticks to Buddha and also indulge in a practice of self-reflection, trying to identify and correct their mistakes and remembering Buddha's teachings to attain enlightenment. Finally, their day ends with evening prayers and gratitude offerings, simply reminding them that one does not need a lot of materials to be happy, simple things can give as much pleasure as others do. 


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Beyond Singsur Ani Gompa

Beyond, one can step into Tawang Monastery, which is one of the largest and oldest monasteries of all time with monks all around teaching and preaching Buddhism and ancient artefacts as well that gives you a way into the glorious history. One can visit the other Gompas around as well, which too are simple and breathtaking, located at a hilltop with views so pretty that make you fall in love each time.  If you're a trekking soul then the Gyangong Ani Gompa trek and Tawang Monastery trek are the key highlights to look out for, the way is filled with calm lakes and streams, green trees and much more that is eternally beautiful making the trek one of a kind.