The birthplace of His Holi Highness the sixth Dalai Lama, the sacred Urgelling monastery lies about five kilometers to the south of the serene Tawang town in the north eastern Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. Surrounded by the graceful Himalayas and the picturesque Tawang-Chu valley, the Urgelling monastery traces its root to the 15th century CE, when around 1489, it was established by Urgen Sangpo as a Buddhist spiritual centre.

A home to the Buddhist monks and Lamas following the Lamaistic Mahayana school of thought, the monastery became a sacred place for the Buddhists since 1683 CE, the year when the sixth Dalai Lama Ngawang Gyamtso was born to the Lama Tashi Tenzin(father) of Urgelling and Tsewang Lhamo(mother) of Bekhar. The monastery was restored and enlarged in the year 1699 by Desi Sangye Gyamtso, and now its renovated look possessed a double storied main temple, an assembly hall with eight pillars, an altar room with four pillars, a deities' chapel with two pillars, a residential quarter for His Holi Highness the sixth Dalai Lama, a chapel to practice the tantric practices, Ka-Gyur house and a courtyard with twenty rooms meant for residential quarters for the monks and the Lamas.


But the glorious days of the monastery soon came to an end in the year 1706 when His Holi Highness the sixth Dalai Lama was deposed by Lajang Khan, and subsequently so was destroyed the monastery by one of his forces in 1714. The invasion also deserted the monastery and all its treasured possessions - scriptures, statues and other holy objects went into the hands of the Tawang monastery.

After going through so many ups and downs, today the Urgelling monastery houses a single temple and shelters some of the monks who lead a simple life and practice meditation and other Buddhist practices.


Tawang
The land of Monpas, Tawang stands as high as 3500 meters above the sea level and creates a mesmerising picture of the captivating Himalayan mountains, calm surroundings, lovely waterfalls, calm villages, picturesque lakes and majestic gompas. The city of Tawang, named after the famous Tawang monastery, is one of the best sought places by the tourists, who easily fall in love with the culture, tradition and beauty of the place.


Other Attractions of Tawang

• Tawang Monastery : The 400 year old Tawang monastery, carrying a medieval aura around it, is the centre of the Lamaistic Mahayana faith of Buddhism in Arunachal Pradesh. The monastery, standing in front of the Twang-Chu valley in the Tawang district amidst the Himalayas, is the largest monastery of India and the second largest of Asia. Also known as the 'Galden Namgyal Lhatse', the 17th century old Tawang monastery is a home to more than 300 monks and a major centre of spirituality and religion for the people residing in the region.
  
  
• Rigyalling Monastery : The Rigyalling monastery, located amidst lush green trees and quiet surroundings of the Tawang district, is the perfect place to seat, meditate and search for and within the inner self.
  
  
• Taktsang Monastery : Surrounded by a dense coniferous forest and snowy mountains nearby Tawang, the serene Taktsang monastery is the perfect place for meditation. Also known as the 'tiger's den', the Taktsang monastery is believed to have been visited by Guru Padmasambhava in the 8th century CE.
  
  
• Tawang Memorial : The Tawang war memorial is a 40 feet multi-hued chorten like structure and commemorates the bravery of the Indian heroes of the Indo-Shino war of 1962. It is situated in front of the picturesque Tawang-Chu valley in the Tawang district of Arunachal Pradesh and holds an inscription inscribed in praise of the bravery of the soldiers:
  
  "How can a Man die Better than facing Fearful Odds,
  For the Ashes of His Fathers and the Temples of His Gods
  To the sacred memory of the Heroes of Rezang La, 24 Martyrs of the 13 Kumoan who
  fought to the Last Man, Last Round, Against Hordes of Chinese on 18. November 1962."
  
  
• Pangang-Tang-Tso : A beautiful creation of the mother nature, the Pangang-Tang-Tso lake is located simply 17 kilometers away from Tawang. The lake is surrounded by colourful flowers and the Himalayan ranges, which combine together to present a picturesque scenic beauty and captivates the soul of onlookers.

Festivals
The Urgelling monastery celebrates several festivals like Losar and Torgya, which not only mark important days in the Buddhist calendar but at the same time give a golden opportunity to the people to assemble and celebrate their culture, tradition and most significantly, their brotherhood.

The Losar festival, celebrated in the month of January, marks the beginning of the New Year according to the lunar calendar. The festival, which lasts for 15 days, is celebrated by lightening lamps, offering prayers and hoisting prayer flags.

Torgya is another major festival, celebrated by the Lamas of the monastery. It is celebrated for three days while starting from the 28th day of the eleventh month of the lunar calendar. On this occasion, a pyramidical structure, Torgya, is being made by the Lamas, who offer prayers, lighten every corner of the monastery with coulourful lights and perform dance to signify the victory of good over the evil spirits.

Other main festivals celebrated in the monastery are Saka Dawa - celebrated on the fourth month of lunar calendar to mark the day of the Buddha's enlightenment and Dukpa Tse-Shi on the 6th month of the lunar calendar to mark the fist sermon of the Buddha.