Shedup Choephelling Temple

Shedup Choephelling Temple in Happy Valley is recognised as the first Tibetan Buddhist temple built in India, consecrated by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. It sits at the highest point of Happy Valley on the western edge of Mussoorie, a settlement that became home to Tibetan refugees after 1959 when the Indian government welcomed them.

The temple complex houses prayer wheels, numerous idols of Lord Buddha, and a meditation hall with walls and ceilings painted with intricate Tibetan murals and thangkas. The architecture is a fine example of traditional Tibetan style. The views from the temple across the Benog Hill circuit are sweeping and serene.

Happy Valley itself is home to the Central School for Tibetans, established in 1960, and retains a distinctly Tibetan character with its monasteries and cultural institutions. Temple timings: 5 AM to 12 PM and 4 PM to 9 PM.