Lava Monastery or Kagyu Thekchen ling monastery is situated in a small village called lava in West Bengal . In 1987 the Buddhist community present there offered 3 acres of land to the 3rd Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche for building a monastery for the local community of lava.
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Earlier the place started out with only a handful of monks but with the passage of time the numbers kept increasing. Presently it accommodates over 110 monks.
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The building is made using brick and concrete, having a bright and colorful appearance. The surrounding areas are covered with the historic forest of Neora Valley, shrouded with thick mist for most part of the year.
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Inside, monks can been seen occupied in rigorous study of Buddhist literatures and meditation. The monastery is well maintained and one can get a clear view of the enchanting forest. With the ambiance of pure calmness and the chirping of birds nearby, the beauty of this location is simply unmatched.
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Lava is 32 kms from Kalimpong town. The closest railway station is NJP at a distance of 120kms. Taxis and _shared jeeps are easily available there which takes about three 3.5 hours to reach lava. Bagdogra is the nearest airport.
