The first monastery at Rumtek was built in the mid-18th century under the 12th Karmapa, Changchub Dorje, one of several Karma Kagyu temples in Sikkim. By the 1950s it had fallen into disrepair. Its revival came from an unexpected direction: the Chinese takeover of Tibet.
In 1959 the 16th Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje, left his seat at Tsurphu near Lhasa with a party of monks and many sacred objects. The Chogyal of Sikkim, Tashi Namgyal, offered him land, and the Karmapa chose Rumtek. Construction of the new monastery, with support from the Sikkim royal family and the Government of India, was completed in 1966.
Rumtek became the Karmapa's seat in exile and a centre for teaching the Karma Kagyu tradition to students from around the world. The 16th Karmapa died in 1981 in the United States, and his relics were enshrined in the Golden Stupa behind the main hall.
His succession later became disputed, with two candidates recognised by different groups. The quarrel affected Rumtek directly, which is why the monastery has a security post and police presence today. For visitors, it means a short ID check at the gate before the calm of the courtyard.
Sources
- Rumtek Monastery (Wikipedia)
- 16th Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje (Wikipedia)
- Karmapa controversy (Wikipedia)
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