Traveling to the Matepani Gumba (Buddhist Monastery) In Pokhara

Leaving Lakeside

For many tourists traveling to Pokhara, the city does not exist beyond Lakeside. The view of Fewa Lake from one of the many hippie coffee shops or overpriced restaurants is more than enough to keep these travelers occupied while waiting to head out on one of the trecks up to the surrounding mountains.

To simply define everything that is Pokhara only by what exists on these two commercial streets would not do the city justice. For those looking to get off the beaten path and are willing to tear themselves away from the tacky shops which line Fewa Lake, the true heart of Pokhara exists just a few neighborhoods away.

From a hilltop in Buddha Chok, roughly 6km away from Lakeside, is the famous gumba (monastery) of Karma Dubgyu Chokhorling or more commonly known as Matepani.

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A Day Trip to Matepani Monastery

While the area around Lakeside has slews of hotels, bars, and clubs all jam-packed on top of each other, Buddha Chok consists of clean winding lanes and quiet neighborhoods. Perched on top of its hill, Matepani is a popular day trip for Nepali families and tourists. Although a hotspot for locals, you will find few to no foreign travelers wandering the grounds of Matepani Monastery.

The courtyard surrounding the Matepani Monastery is simple. There is the main hall of the temple adorned with tapestries which flow in the wind and ornate golden figures on its roof. At the back of the temple, there are also a few statues located in a small garden. Most tourists visiting this Buddhist gumba in Pokhara don’t come for the temple, however, but for the view of the surrounding city with Fewa Lake in the distance.

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The Monks of Matepani Monastery

One of the reasons you may fall in love with Matepani Monastery is the little monks you can find scrambling around the temple. Although busy going about their day, attending classes, reciting mantras and preparing meals, these young Buddhists are always quick to laugh and play.

Home to roughly 50 monks, this small monastery is relatively crowded with these novice spiritual leaders. Many foreign tourists have a certain fascination with monks, especially those young ones who are quick to break the stereotype of a stoic religious teacher by kicking around a football.

These little satin clad monks are typically just as curious of foreign tourists as you are of them. Odds are, some of the less shy Buddhist students will even try and practice what English they have learned from school with you. The head monks at the Matepani Monastery are also extremely welcoming. They can be found concealing their laughter as you are busy teasing and playing with their students.

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Call to the Temple

Several times a day one of the Buddhist monks will grab a gong and announce the time for prayer with a bang. Like ants out of the woodwork, all of the students and teachers of the monastery come clambering out of their dormitories and offices to enter the grand hall of the gumba.

Typically these prayers are held in the morning and late afternoon. But if there is some special event or holiday, the monks may be cooped up in the temple for the entire day reciting prayers and mantras. Depending on how strict the temple is or how many friends you made with the resident monks, you may even be invited to sit in on one of the prayers.

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The Grand Hall of Matepani Monastery

The grand hall of Matepani Monastery is much like many of the other gumbas and temples you may have come across in your travels throughout Asia. The interior of the temple is decorated with bright elaborate murals depicting stories from Buddha’s life and myths related to the various deities which make up the religion.

What makes the temple different is the long cracks that can be seen tearing through the walls and marble floor, a scar from the earthquakes the monastery has endured.

Many travelers know that any religious site such as a temple or mosque should be approached with a sense of reverence. With signs indicating to take off your shoes and not take photos, many tourists may even be on the brink of paranoia to not disrespect the monks and the monastery.

Contrary to what many may think, you are actually allowed to take pictures of the tapestries and murals within the Buddhist temple. It is only Lord Buddha who tourists are not allowed to whip out their selfie sticks in front of. As far as being completely silent and overly respectful while strolling through the temple, the young monks are quick to dispel this misconception.

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Kids Will Be Kids

After all of the monks get comfortable on their cushions behind their desks within the monastery, the chanting and drumming of the daily prayers begin. While the older teachers and head monks are busy, eyes closed, reciting their mantras, local devotees hand out snacks and soda to the young students.

You may be sitting at attention, facing forward, while the music and chanting fill the temple’s hall, but your rowdy monk neighbors will be fighting, posing for pictures, or playing with their food. You might expect the teachers to come by and give the young Buddhists an ear-full. But for hours these kids use their time in the temple to draw, chat, and just joke around. It just goes to show that you can shave their heads and drape them in robes, but kids will always be kids.

Unlike many of the other monasteries and temples you may have visited, Matepani Monastery may be one of the most intimate experiences you may have with Buddhism. It is not grand halls, massive temples, or ornate decorations which will make you fall in love with a religion, but it’s the people you meet that make you feel truly accepted in an otherwise foreign world.