This Monastery belongs to the Gelukpa sect of Vajrayana Buddhism, also known as the yellow hat. This is the seat of ven. Dromo Geshe rinpoche, the second. A 26 ft. tall stupa has been built recently in memory of Lama Anagarika Govinda, a great scholar from Germany well known for his book on Buddhism.

The monastery has a rich collection of rare books on Buddhism. Situated at an altitude of 8,000 ft, the Ghoom monastery (also known as Samten Choling monastery), is one of the better known monasteries of Darjeeling. Said to have been built in 1875 by Lama Sherab Gyatso, it is famous for its 15 ft tall statue of Maitreya Buddha (future Buddha). The monastery also has a laudable collection of Buddhist text. Samten Choling is located in Ghoom conveniently on the Hill Cart Road some 7km away from the town of Darjeeling. So unless you specifically mention, the cab driver is likely to bring you here saying that this is the Ghoom Monastery. Most locals actually call this as the Ghoom monastery. Since it’s on the way to Batasia and Tiger Hill, it’s also convenient to visit this monastery as part of the 3-point tour. When you go from Darjeeling town towards Ghoom, before you reach the Ghoom station you will see Samten Choling monastery on your right. There is a big gate having a square arch. From the gate you can see the main Monastery building which has a white body and a golden top. If you come early in the morning or in the evening during the prayer time, the chanting and the humming sound made by the young lamas and the monks creates great spiritual atmosphere. You can be with them as long as you want during the prayers. The monastery has great collections of Buddhist books and Manuscripts. It belongs to the Yellow Hat sect.