Annual masked dance performance at nearby Ralang Monastery celebrating the deity Mahakala. Part of Tibetan Buddhist festival traditions.
Why it mattersTibetan Buddhist ritual dance honoring protective deities
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Naksh.iq
ISSUE Nº 48 · JUNE 2026
Festival · SIKKIM
Mahakala Dance (Ralang Monastery).
November · Ravangla
Going for this? Ravangla in November
NakshIQ score
8.0/10
Go
November is clear and dry. Kanchenjunga views at their best.
Getting there
Elevation
2155 m
Nearest airport
Bagdogra — 120km; Pakyong — 75km
Nearest railway
New Jalpaiguri (NJP) — 135km
Live in Ravangla
Where to eat
Tathagata Kitchen
Main Ravangla · ₹₹SignatureSikkimese thali with phagshapa and gundruk
The thali is the order — three curries, gundruk, dal, rice and a sweet, with phagshapa swapped in for vegetarians. Avoid the pizza section.
Read & Feed Cafe
Main Ravangla · ₹₹SignatureLocally-roasted Temi coffee
Garden seats fill up by 11am on weekends — the upstairs reading room with the Sikkim history shelf usually has space.
Taste of Sikkim
Ravangla Bazaar · ₹SignatureSikkimese thali with phaley
Stop here on the way down from Buddha Park — the cafe at the park itself is pure-veg only and limited; this is where you go for pork momos and Sikkimese thali. Lunch goes 12.30-2.30pm.
Roots and Shoots
Kewzing Road · ₹₹SignatureNiguro (fern shoots) with churpi and gorkhey chutney
The niguro-churpi only runs March-October when ferns are in season. In winter ask for the buckwheat-based phaapar dishes instead.
What else to see in Ravangla
Tathagata Tsal (Buddha Park)
Serene park with a 130-ft statue of the Buddha surrounded by Himalayan peaks. Inaugurated by the Dalai Lama.
monument1-2 hoursRalang Monastery
Important Karma Kagyu monastery with elaborate murals and thangka paintings. Hosts annual Pang Lhabsol festival.
monastery1 hour
Other festivals in November, elsewhere
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