Rigon Tupten Choeling - India

After departing Tibet in 1959 due to the communist invasion, the Ripa Masters and followers ended up relocating to the state of Orissa, India. In Orissa, Tibetan Refuge Camps where set up in the town of Chandragiri to accommodate all of the Tibetan refuge families connected to the Ripa Lineage. Upon settling down in Chandragiri, the Ripa Masters constructed The Thupten Mindrolling Monastery as the new main monastery of the Ripa Lineage.

Currently, over 4000 Tibetans in five Refuge Camps all associated with the Ripa Lineage, still live in Chandragiri, Orissa. While technically, they are still Tibetan refuges, Chandragiri is now considered as being their permanent home. About five to six years back, a project began to create a much grander monastery. The new Thupten Mindrolling Monastery will have housing to accommodate over 400 monks. The central Gompa of the monastery will be much larger and will house 3 primary status deities of the Buddha, Guru Rinpoche, and Avaloketishvara all of which will be roughly 2-3 stories high.

The Monastery is situated on a large plot of land, roughly 1-2 acres, in Chandragiri, Orissa India. The Monastery has beautiful views of overlooking the rolling hills of the Orissa valley. Once, the Monastery in completed, it will become an epicenter of activities dedicated to the benefit of all sentient beings. The monastery is currently under construction and is targeted for completion sometime in late 2008 or early 2009.

Here is a close up view of the Buddha being constructed as main hall of the Gompa.

This is a picture of the shrine room on the second floor of the monastery.

This is a picture of the shrine room on the 3rd floor of the monastery.