Pelling

Pelling has a special Pemayangste Monastery. Pemayangtse literally means 'Perfect Sublime Lotus'. This monastery is only for the pure monks called as 'ta-sang' lamas and is one of the oldest and most important monasteries of Sikkim. Founded in 1705, this monastery belongs to the Nyingma-pa sect and is said to be designed and conceptualized by Lhatsun Chhembo who is Sikkim's Buddhism pioneer. Pemayangste Monastery is Sikkim's nuclei of many monasteries. The three-storied building of the monastery houses a good collection of wall paintings and sculptures. Now Pemayangste Monastery is the premier and prime most monastery of Sikkim. This place is also very crowded in Sikkim. In January/ February every year, a religious dance called 'Cham' is performed in Pemayangtse.

Khecheoplari Tsho is a large lake located 27 kms from Pelling and it is one of Sikkim's most sacred lakes which is made by the Buddhists and Hindus. The lake is covered by lush green and thick forests. The lake is considered to be one of the sacred lakes of Sikkim. There is a motorable road from Pelling right up to the lake area. It is understood that the birds around the lake make sure that not even a single leaf floats on the lake. By the lakeshore is the small Lepcha village of Tsojo, and about 1.5km above the lake is the Khecheoplari Gompa. Tourists and locals offer prayer at the lake and also feed the pool of fish in the lake.