Rumtek Monastery is the most important and largest monastery pilgrim center in Sikkim located 24kms away from Gangtok, the capital town of Sikkim.
The Monastery also known as the Dharma Chakra Center was built in 1960 to spread the teachings of Buddha, by the 16th Karmapa Gyalwa, who came from Tibet to Sikkim during the Chinese invasion.
The Rumtek Monastery belongs to the Black Hat sect of Kargyugpa Buddhism which has its origin in Tibet in the 12th century.
The legend has it that the first Karmapa was blessed by ten thousand fairies while meditating in a cave for many years. The each of the fairies presented him with their hair which was woven together into a black hat.
This hat is still kept inside a box in Rumtek monastery. It is believed that if not kept is a secured place the hat will fly away. This auspicious hat is used by the His Holiness Karmapa during the ceremony.