Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche on a three-day visit to South Sikkim

NAMCHI, 15 Jan: One of the senior most priests of the Nyingmapa sect of Buddhism, Changter Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche arrived at Namchi on Friday for a three-day visit to South Sikkim. The Rinpoche offered prayers and Tsewang [long life blessings] to devotees during his visit.
The Rinpoche along with other monks offered prayers at the statue of Guru Padmasambhava in Samdruptse this morning and also visited other important Buddhist pilgrimage centers of South District.
The Taklung Rinpoche was accompanied by Gunzang Rinpoche, Sangha MLA, Phetook Tsh. Lama, Chairman NMC, BT Tamang, monks from the different monasteries of Namchi and a huge number of followers.
After offering prayers at Samduptse, the Rinpoche visited the recently inaugurated Siddheswara Dham (Char Dham) at Solophok where he met with the priests and also offered prayers. He then visited the Sai Mandir situated near Assangthang. Tomorrow the Rinpoche will visit Tashiding Monastery in West Sikkim.
Yesterday the Rinpoche offered Tsewang at Ngadak Gumpa which was organised by the monks and Buddhist community of Namchi. It may be mentioned here that Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche had visited the state for the first time in 2002 and offered a 45-day Wang at Ngadak Gumpa and soon after the government of Sikkim approved the construction of the new Ngadak Gumpa on his advice. The construction work of the Gumpa is now in its final stages.