Tawang Monastery
The Tawang Monastery was founded near the small town of the same name in the northwestern part of Arunachal Pradesh, India by Merak Lama Lodre Gyatso in 1680-1681 in accordance with the wishes of the 5th Dalai Lama. The monastery belongs to the Gelugpa school and has a religious association with Drepung Monastery in Lhasa, which continued during the period of British rule.
The Tawang Monastery is three stories high and houses 65 residential buildings in addition to the library. It controls 17 gompas and a few nunneries in the region. It was renovated in 1997 by the 14th Dalai Lama – with renovation meaning that the traditionally built structure was torn down and then rebuilt with concrete.
Chinese troops briefly occupied it during the 1962 Sino-Indian War, destroying portions of the monastery. For six months it was controlled by Chinese troops. After the retreat of the Chinese troops, Tawang came under Indian control once again. Elections have taken place regularly and democratic state legislature elected peacefully.
