ABOUT THE
Attraction
Rewalsar (Tso Pema in Tibetan) is a small pilgrimage town in the Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh. Sacred to Buddhists, Hindus and Sikhs, locals have named it Trisangam. Home to the Drikung Kagyud gompa and Zigar gompa, prominent monasteries of the Nyingmapa order of Buddhism, the unique feature of these is the amalgamation of the Indo-Chinese style of architecture.
It’s an important site of Buddhism due to its legend about the 8th century saint Padmasambhava. Legend has it that King Arashadhar of Mandi had Padmasambhava burnt alive after rumours that the guru had attempted to teach his daughter, princess Mandarava, the Dharma, which was not accepted then. The pyre burnt for a week, with great clouds of black smoke arising from it. But after a week, a lake appeared at the spot where the pyre was and Padmasambhava manifested himself as a 16-year-old boy from within a lotus in the middle of the lake, with Mandarava in his arms. The king, repenting his actions, married his daughter to Padmasambhava. It is said that it was from here that Padmasambhava went to Tibet to spread Vajrayana Buddhism. A huge (37.5 m) statue of Padmasmabhava stands here.
The nearest major city is Mandi, 24 km away.
OTHER ATTRACTIONS
Shahsur Monastery
The monastery draws its name from the blue pine trees that crowd the structure, giving it a surreal aura. Founded in 17th century AD, the monastery has several rare paintings and books.
Tabo Monastery
The oldest continuously functioning Buddhist monastery in India, five of the nine shrines inside its campus date from the 10th and 11th centuries.
Nako Monastery
The monastery is also known as the “Lotsava Jhakang” which means “Complex of the Translator”. Situated by the Nako lake, this serene monastery, has been constructed on the pattern of the famous Tabo monastery