Question

The largest Buddhist monastery in India found in which city?
A. Dharamshala
B. Sarnath
C. Tawang
D. Kochi

Answer 1

Hint: The largest Buddhist monastery of India is known as Galdan Namgyal Lhatse, is situated in the northeastern part of India. It is also the second-largest monastery in the world right after the Potala Palace in Lhasa Tibet.

Complete Answer: The largest Buddhist Monastery of the Indian state is situated in the northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh. The monastery is situated at an elevation of about 3000 metres in the Tawang Chu valley of Arunachal Pradesh. It is bounded by the narrow spurs on the north, on the east by a gently sloping ground and by steep ravines on the western and southern flanks. The monastery is named after the Tawang town of the state. This town is well connected by rail, air and road services. It had once served as the district headquarters of the district of West Kameng before the formation of separate Tawang town.

Let us examine all the options
Option A - Dharamshala is the place where The Dalai Lama established his ‘capital in exile’. Dharamshala is also called the Little Lhasa and also Dhasa, combining the places Dharamshala and Lhasa in Tibet.
Option B - Sarnath is one of the important pilgrimage sites for Buddhism. It is situated 10 kilometres away to the north-east of the Varanasi city of India. Gautama Buddha gave his first teaching of Dharma in the Deer Park of Sarnath. It contains a stupa or a shrine built by Emperor Ashoka in 3rd Century BCE.
Option C - Tawang is the city where the largest Buddhist monastery of India and the second largest monastery of the world is situated. The Tawang Monastery was in 1680-81 by Merek Lama Lodre Gyamsto at the command of the 5th Dalai Lama. The full name of the monastery is “Tawang Galden Namgey Lhatse” which literally means “site chosen by the horse is the celestial divine paradise”.
Option D - Kochi is a city situated in the southern state of India, Kerala and consists of Christians, Muslims, Jains, Hindus, Konkanis and Buddhists.

Thus, the correct answer is option (C).

Note: Maharashtra is the city where most of the Buddhist population is found. According to Census 2011, Maharashtra accounts for 77 percent of the total Buddhist population residing in India, followed by West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.