Buddhist Monastery on Sarangkot: Nayah Gayur Sannagh Chhyoeling

Exploring A Different Side Of Pokhara

Even for local Nepalis, Pokhara is a place to find a trendy coffee shop and cozy up with a good book. Other than the restaurants and souvenir shops of Lakeside, you will find tons of temples and Buddhist Monasteries in Pokhara. Gumbas such as the Nayah Gayur Sannagh Chhyoeling, lay a bit off the beaten path, frequented only by Nepalis and Buddhist tourists from abroad. But to truly explore the culture of the country, you will have to leave your lattes behind, and get in touch with a more candid side of Pokhara.

Although Nepal is predominantly Hindu, you will still find tons of Buddhist temples in Pokhara. Tucked away in the jungles, mountainside, and Tibetan communities, you will have a hard time simply stumbling across one of the monasteries in Pokhara.

You will only be able to find Nayah Gayur Sannagh Chhyoeling, for example, while you are making your trek up to the peak of Sarangkot Hill. The peaceful atmosphere and elaborate murals, however, will have you abandoning your previous plans to check out the viewpoint at the summit of Sarangkot, to enjoy the serenity of this monastery.

Wanting more off the beaten path travel in Pokhara? Check out Tersapatti Road, Pokhara’s old art district!

Finding Nayah Gayur Sannagh Chhyoeling

The buses leaving from Baglung Bus Park going to Sarangkot Hill pass by this elusive monastery just as they begin their 90-degree climb of the mountain. With colorful prayer flags fluttering overhead and a pure ivory-colored stupa peeking out over the circular crimson walls of the temple, the beauty of this monastery is sure to have many curious travelers pressing their noses against the glass, wishing they could hop off of the bus to explore.

The Nayah Gayur Sannagh Chhyoeling will captivate you as you are passing by and is sure to have you returning to the foot of Sarangkot to explore the temple even more. This Buddhist Monastery is open from 7 am in the morning to 5 pm at night. If you manage to strike up a conversation with one of the monks or teachers at the gumba, it is not unusual for them to get so excited that they will ask for you to stay the night.

If you are wanting to take the easy way to Sarangkot, you can read about taking the local bus here!

The Views From The Monastery

From Matepani you will get views of the sprawling city of Pokhara. From Prema Dechan Ling you will be gazing out over Fewa Lake. But from Nayah Gayur Sannagh Chhyoeling, you will be able to take in both the Annapurna Mountains and the entire city of Pokhara in one panoramic view. With the colorful lungta waving overhead and the ornate golden statues perched on top of the monastery’s walls, this gumba gives you a truly unique perspective of the city.

What really makes Nayah Gayur Sannagh Chhyoeling stand out from the rest of the Buddhist gumbas in Pokhara is the courtyard situated in front of the grand hall. With patio furniture and benches, you can sit back and watch the busy life of the city whiz by on the city streets while listening to the tranquil sound of the wind playing the chimes hanging from the roof of the monastery.

Looking for a complete list of monasteries in Pokhara? You can find all the temples here!

Meeting the Monks

No matter what temple in Pokhara you visit, you will find that many of the children monks are extremely excited to have visitors. Despite the reverent looking robes and pious demeanor, kids will always be kids. While taking in the city of Pokhara from the courtyard, you will find these satin clad Buddhists play wrestling, kicking a ball around,  or chasing each other from the kitchen into the grand hall of the Lord Buddha.

Many of these children spend their days much like any other kid in the world. They play games, attend classes, and do chores throughout the monastery. Occasionally you will find the novice monks lounging about on the steps of the temple busy goofing around while making joss paper. With ink and intricate stamps, some of the teenage monks diligently press the paper onto the block while practicing their English with curious tourists.

One of the most famous temples in all of Nepal is the Matepani Gumba!

Classes in Nayah Gayur Sannagh Chhyoeling

Other than their prayers, mantras, and Tibetan language classes, the handful of young monks who call Nayah Gayur Sannagh Chhyoeling home must also learn arithmetic, social studies, and English. With a teacher coming by the temple every day to give classes, monks as young as 7 and as old as 16 all sit together in the same classroom attempting the same lessons. While this poses obvious challenges for the younger red-robed students, there are few options for the monastery to provide a well-rounded education.

Much like the children in any other school in Nepal, the monks are quick to crack a joke and plead with their classmates for answers to avoid being scolded by the teacher. As soon as one of their lessons ends, the monks will have to leave the makeshift classroom to walk single file into the grand hall for evening prayers. With the days filled with chanting and homework, this leaves little time for the monks to simply be kids.

If you are looking for the largest monastery in Pokhara you will have to head to the Pema Ts’al Sakya Institute.

Pokhara: Off the Beaten Path

We all need days to give to ourselves. Lazily lounging about a cafe, sipping on coffee, and scrolling through your phone is something that is essential for one’s well-being and to simply recharge your batteries. What is unfortunate is that this lazy day quickly turns into a habit and you will find yourself constantly filtering in and out of the coffee shops of Pokhara. While Lakeside is a place to let your hair down and relax, the true memories are made off of the beaten path.

Nayah Gayur Sannagh Chhyoeling is a Buddhist Monastery in Pokhara hidden in plain sight. While many make the journey up to Sarangkot, they miss out on the ornate elaborate architecture of Nayah Gayur Sannagh Chhyoeling and the chance to interact with a different side of the community. With the young monks excitedly pulling at your coattails, wanting to show you how to pray in the temple and speak to you in English, the experiences made at the monastery overshadow any sunset you may catch at the summit of Sarangkot.