Information of Thakurbari Temple, Gangtok, Sikkim

Located at the heart of the city of Gangtok, is one amongst the most famous temples of Sikkim which is known as the Thakurbari Temple. This temple is situated in extremely calm and serene environment. Once you visit the temple you shall feel that peace which one can feel only in a place which is close to god. It is one of the most visited temples of India. And one of the main reasons behind it being so is the very location of the temple which is in one of the most beautiful places of the country, Sikkim.

Thakurbari Temple Mythology & History

The temple is considered to be one of the oldest temples of Sikkim as it was constructed in the year 1935. Today the temple stands tall on the land which was donated by Sir Thutop Namgyal who was once the King of Sikkim. The temple is considered to be a very holy and pious place as there are idols and images of many Gods and Goddesses of Hindu religion here. And so the temple becomes even more pious as there are idols of not one but many Gods and Goddesses.

Thakurbari Temple Architecture

Today when you look at the temple, you will find that it does not have the idealistic look of a temple. In one way you can say that the architecture of the Thakurbari temple is very different than any other temple. The temple has got a ground and a first floor. The dramatic windows and doors will give you a feeling like you are not in a temple. The pillars on the exterior of the temple add that added attraction to the temple. The orange flags on the terrace look very nice indeed.

The temple was renovated in the year 1945-1947 so as to upgrade the look of it in every aspect. You would be amazed to know that a Library and a multipurpose hall is the new inclusion to this very pilgrimage center.

The government of Sikkim is paying attention towards the maintenance of the temple's architecture and basic necessities. Recently the water boring was done through drilling down the water table in the ground. This has helped many of the pilgrims of this holy place. The government also took care of the architecture of the temple which was slowly and steadily being ruined.

Festivals at Thakurbari Temple

The Chatt puja is considered to be one of the main festivals of the Thakurbari Temple. It is a festival which continues for about 4 days. However, due to earthquake which occurred on 18th of September, this year the festival was not celebrated on a grand scale.

The Chatt puja comprises of religious prayer offerings to the Sun God, who is considered to be the main source of energy to the entire Universe. In the Chatt puja the prayers of the people include thanking the Sun God for sustaining life on Earth. Further the people pray for granting success and prosperity in the year.

In the Chatt puja people take the holy bath which is called the Naha Kha on the first day of the festival. Later the devotees get prepared for the Chatt Vrat which is nothing but fasting for a day and abstaining from drinking water and having food. The devotees later stand for long hours in the water and offer Prashad (which are the prayer offerings) and argh to the rising and setting Sun. The Prashad includes the Thekwa sweets and fruits. The food which the devotees get in the temple is strictly vegetarian and does not have the ingredients like salt, onions and garlic.