Sacred sites you need to visit in Bir
Welcome to my India Travel Diaries, a series of personal posts about my travels through India. Everything written here, including recommendations, are based on my experiences and are by no means meant to be a comprehensive city guide.
While Bir is known to be the paragliding capital of India, there are many sacred sites in and around this picturesque village that are not to miss.
From the beautiful monasteries to the stunning architecture of the Baijnath Temple, you’ll definitely want to make time to see these places during your trip to Bir.
Me in front of a mural of Lord Shiva in Bir, Himachal Pradesh, India.
I had no plans to paraglide on this visit to Bir (couldn’t shake my fear of heights!), but I still wanted to make the most out of my time there. One of the main intentions of my trip to India was to learn. I am a keen student when it comes to anything about spirituality, religion or the mystical arts. What I loved about being in Himachal Pradesh was the opportunity to learn more about Buddhism. I was still buzzing with joy after seeing HH the Dalai Lama in Dharamshala when I somehow found myself in the presence of another spiritual teacher in Bir!
Dzongsar Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö College of Dialectics
About 15 minutes outside of Bir, you’ll find this beautiful shedra (monastic college) in Chauntra, Himachal Pradesh, dedicated to teaching traditional Buddhist philosophy. Under the guidance of Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, their mission is to preserve Buddhist heritage and promote the Buddha’s wisdom. Rinpoche has also established dharma centres around the world and is an award-winning filmmaker.
Dzongsar Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö College of Dialectics in Chauntra.
It’s a lovely campus amidst the backdrop of the Dhauladar ranges with beautiful flowers blooming around. When I visited, more than 3000 people were undergoing the 2022 Drubthab Kuntu (“Collection of Sadhanas”) empowerments and teachings. I sat in on one day of teachings with a friend who was undergoing the initiation. I didn’t fully grasp much of what was going on, since I wasn’t planning to attend the required 45 days and didn’t have prior knowledge of Rinpoche and his teachings. Yet, like what I had experienced at many other spiritual sites in India, I couldn’t escape the sense of peace that I felt by being here sitting amongst thousands of people. There was a vast amount of energy that you could feel being generated in the room. I just let myself soak it all in.
Chokling Monastery
Right near the Garden Cafe, and surrounding lush tea gardens, this beautiful monastery is a must visit in Bir! It’s a nice place to walk around, take photos and sit while you contemplate the beauty around you. I sat here for some time and while admiring the many statues of Maa Tara, I noticed the paragliders floating in the sky above me. I was amused. While I thought that what I was doing here on the ground was meditative, I realized that they were doing the same in the sky. Two different roads leading to the same destination.
Chokling Monastery in Bir, Himachal Pradesh, India.
Baijnath Temple
About 20 minutes outside of Bir in Baijnath, Himachal Pradesh, you’ll find a 13th century Nagara style Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva’s form of Baijnath or Vaidyanath (The God of Healing). The Baijnath Temple is a stunning example of sacred architecture. Its walls are carved with the images of other Gods like Lord Ganesha and Lord Harihara and inside you’ll find a Shiva lingam. This is a temple where you’ll want to walk around slowly as you take in all of the intricate details of the structure. Visit Baijnath Temple if you want to see some ancient architecture in Bir.
For more about the history and other unique details about this temple, check out this post from A Soul Window.
One place that I didn’t get to check out, but heard a lot about was The Deer Park institute. The Deer Park Institute was established in 2006 by Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche and is a centre for the study of classical Indian wisdom traditions.
“This name invokes the example of the Buddha’s first teachings at the historic Deer Park, the ‘Mriga Dava’ in Sarnath, India, where the Buddha first shared a spirit of bias-free enquiry into the nature of mind, existence and suffering.”
They offer many workshops, events and programs for those interested in studying and exploring Buddhism.
Have you visited any of these sacred sites in and around Bir? Let me know some of your favorites in the comments below!
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