Bylakuppe is an area or town, which is home to several Tibetan settlements, established by Lugsum Samdupling in 1961 and Dickyi Larsoe in 1969, near Koorg. It is located in Mysuru or Mysore district in Karnataka state, India.

Bylakuppe – Namdroling Monastery.

Tibetans accounted for the majority of the population here. An estimated 70,000 Tibetans live here today on land leased by the state government to those who came to resettle in India after 1959. It’s the largest Titian settlement in the world, after Dharmasala in Himachal Pradesh state. In other words, it is the second-largest Tibetan settlement in the world.

There are several monasteries and temples here. There are Buddhist universities also, for advanced Buddhist practices.

Some places of Interest at Bylakupe are Namdroling Monastery’s Golden Temple. His Holiness the 3rd Drubwang Pema Norbu Rinpoche ((1932-2009) is the founder of this Gompa or monastery. He laid the foundation stone for the temple on the 31st of July, 1963. Many of the menial and basic tasks were carried out by himself, due to lack of funds. He was willing to perform a single person’s request to conduct any poojas (prayers), at any time in and around the villages near the monastery.

His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, consecrated the Bylakuppe Golden Temple. He named this monastery or gompa as Namdroling Gompa. Gompa means monastery.

This monastery is officially known as Thegchog Namdrol Shedrub Dargyeling. It means the land of increasing practice and teaching of the utmost Yana that achieves spontaneous Liberation. Each name in the full name was added by some of the holiest Tibetan monks.

Ingalakere Lake is another tourist place here. It is a small, yet beautiful lake in this holy town.

Note: If you are not a citizen of India, you need to get a PAP (Protected Area Permit) to stay overnight. (Obtaining this permit may take weeks to months.)

How Do I Go to Bylakuppe?

Bylakuppe is at a distance of around 80 kilometers from Mysore city. The nearest airport and railway station is Mysore.