The temple in the monastery, located in Bir, is an art gallery where the walls are covered with religious paintings. The temple also houses offerings made to Buddha, objects used in rituals, and images of Buddha.
Click on a picture to browse the exhibits.
The door opening into the courtyard flanked by monk rooms
The gompa surrounded by monk rooms
The gompa surrounded by monk rooms
(L to R) The plain colorful cornice above the door. The pillar supporting the gate opening into the courtyard is adorned with jewels and kirtimukhas with golden hands. The pillar of the main gate: a mermaid holds offerings.
(L to R) The main door of the gompa. A traditional Tibetan door.
(Top: L to R) Fish. The offering. The precious elephant with wish-fulfilling jewel on its back. (Bottom: L to R) The makara-snail (water monster): a combination of a makara and water-snail. The Four friends’ motif consists of a partridge, a hare, a monkey, and an elephant.
(L to R) The victory banner. The triple banderole: a type of victory banner.
A variety of food items and tormas are offered to Buddha.
Shakaymuni Buddha
The desks for monks who participate in the prayers
Statues of Shakaymuni Buddha
Smantabhadra: a form of bodhisattva
The torma, a traditional cake offered to deities
Principal deity of the gompa
Kalachakra and Mount Meru on the walls of the gompa
Mount Meru
The wall painting depicting Buddhist deities
A pair of gongs followed by columns of study desks placed in front of the statues; thangkas hang from the ceiling
(L to R)The gong. Decorations on the gong.
A pair of kirtimukhas on the pillar
The thangkas
Four dragons adorn the ceiling.
The dragon and the bird
The dragon
The Garuda, the lord of birds and enemy of serpents
A kirtimukha and a pair of makara around the wheel adorn the cornice.
Wrathful deities
The frieze above the group of Buddhist deities consists of strings of jewels and kirtimukhas
The deity of wealth holding jewel-spitting mongoose and riding the orange horse. Is it Vaishravana, kubera, or Jambhala? (email the name at contactus@theoff.info or tweet @theoffABHA)
(Top to Bottom) A snow lion and tiger, two mystic animals are carved on the door frame. The wall painting depicting different forms of Buddha.
(Top to Bottom) The makara-snail is painted on the ceiling of the gompa. Garuda with stretched wings near bottom edge of the image; a row of snow lion heads are sculpted top of the door near top edge of the image.
Palyul Chökhorling Gompa
(L to R)The door opening into the courtyard flanked by monk rooms. A lamp post in the courtyard. The post features dragons, jewels, and swastika patterns.
(L to R) Makara on the roof of the main entrance. A makara on the corner of the pagoda-style roof above the door.
Pagoda-like roof of the gate open into the courtyard
The main gate of the monastery
