Bylakuppe is a small village located in Mysore district of Karnataka state , which hosts the world’s second largest Tibetan settlement after Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh. Bylakuppe is about 80 kms from Mysore on the Maysore- Madikere road ,about 35 kms before Madikere town. One has to take a turn to the left on the highway and drive though few kms across paddy fields to reach this popular tourist spot, known as Bylakuppe Tibetan Settlement
(BTS). This settlement is on a 3000 acres of land donated by erstwhile Mysore State in 1960 to settle the refugees from Tibet who were fleeing their country after Chinese occupation. Dalai Lama, their spiritual head also lived here for sometime before moving to Dharamsala ( HP) to set up a Tibetan government in exile. Bylakuppe settlement is now home to about 15-20,000 Tibetan monks, their kiins , monasteries , young student monks ,etc. According to Tibetan cuatoms, first born male child should be made a monk. These youngsters are taught by the senior monks in the Namdroling monastery called Golden Temple at this settlement. As you walk along the premises in the evening, you would see many young monk trainees moving around briskly doing various chores , very much reminding ‘Shaolin Temple ‘ movie series .
Tourists are not allowed to enter inside of the Temple when prayers are on, but can watch the proceedings from outside. Temple has three doors , each representing three stages of existence : mind, body and speech Viz thinking of mind, body engaged in action, and speech reflecting thoughts.
Outside the temple complex, in the village, there are number of small village type of restaurants run by Tibetan women serving Tibetan specialities like steaming momos, noodle soup and Tibetan bread. Many tourists come here mainly to taste the authentic Tibetan cuisine. The atmosphere in the temple complex is so peaceful, soothing to the soul and takes you into a different world. We may never get a chance to visit Tibet , but TBS at Bylakuupe will give us some satisfaction to experience Tibetan way of life.
(BTS). This settlement is on a 3000 acres of land donated by erstwhile Mysore State in 1960 to settle the refugees from Tibet who were fleeing their country after Chinese occupation. Dalai Lama, their spiritual head also lived here for sometime before moving to Dharamsala ( HP) to set up a Tibetan government in exile. Bylakuppe settlement is now home to about 15-20,000 Tibetan monks, their kiins , monasteries , young student monks ,etc. According to Tibetan cuatoms, first born male child should be made a monk. These youngsters are taught by the senior monks in the Namdroling monastery called Golden Temple at this settlement. As you walk along the premises in the evening, you would see many young monk trainees moving around briskly doing various chores , very much reminding ‘Shaolin Temple ‘ movie series .
Tourists are not allowed to enter inside of the Temple when prayers are on, but can watch the proceedings from outside. Temple has three doors , each representing three stages of existence : mind, body and speech Viz thinking of mind, body engaged in action, and speech reflecting thoughts.
Outside the temple complex, in the village, there are number of small village type of restaurants run by Tibetan women serving Tibetan specialities like steaming momos, noodle soup and Tibetan bread. Many tourists come here mainly to taste the authentic Tibetan cuisine. The atmosphere in the temple complex is so peaceful, soothing to the soul and takes you into a different world. We may never get a chance to visit Tibet , but TBS at Bylakuupe will give us some satisfaction to experience Tibetan way of life.
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