Bylakuppe

Is located at 4th camps, and with around 3,000 monks is the largest Nyingma monastery outside of Tibet. Nyingma Monastry is also known as Golden Temple; this name was given by the tourists. It is especially famous for its three copper and gold plated statues of Buddha (one 60 Ft. high and the other two 58 Ft. high) located in the Golden Temple. In accordance with the Vajrayana Buddhist tradition, sacred scriptures and stupas have been placed inside these statues as a means of consectration. This monastery is popular with local Tibetans who attend rituals ceremonies (pujas), and visitors are very welcome to stroll around the monastery grounds and may freely turn the prayer wheels and circumambulate the stupas. According to Tibetan belief, turning prayer wheels disseminates the prayers to the five directions. 'Wind Horses' (lungta), which are flags enscribed with prayers, have the same function.

These sessions are a great sight to watch. The students have 2 question answer sessions every day, one in the morning at around 9:30 AM, other in the evening. The debates are 1-to-1 and the sight of all the students(pairs of students) debating parallely is really a thing to see, especially the clapping action that the questioning student does.

It is an interesting science center if you get somebody to explain it (Search for somebody called Khechok, he manages the science center and is a great person to talk to). This is a great attempt to bridge the said gap between "modern" technology and the age old traditions of Buddhism