Mandala Top Arunachal Pradesh

On my recent month long trip to Arunachal there were a few places that stuck out as truly spectacular. Somewhere that not only blew my mind but instantly makes me want to go back and visit all over again.

One of those places was 108 Mandala Top Arunachal Pradesh!

Mandala is elevated at just under 10,000 feet above sea level, so you’ll quickly feel the altitude and the cold when you ascend!

Mandala is located around 30 kilometres from Dirang along winding bumpy roads!

From the Dirang Basti welcome gate or Dirang Power Station, take a left towards Mandala Top on the Tatung Dzong – Bhutan Road.

The whole route will be signposted towards Mandala and, like most of the region, there will be stone markers letting you know how many kilometres you have left.

Perched at around 10,000 feet above sea level in the Himalayas, Mandala Top or 108 Mani is a relatively new attraction in the area that locals and tourists are raving about.

As a spiritual pilgrimage for many, the feeling you get when you arrive cannot be beat. 108 religious temples all together makes quite an impact and the perfect day trip while you’re in the area.

Mandala Top is a series of 108 Buddhist stupas that have been built in a circle on top of a mountain in Arunachal Pradesh. It was built in 2018 so it’s brand new and hasn’t been fully completed yet!

It’s the first of its kind in India where the mantra ‘Om Mani Padme Hum’ is inscribed in 108 pillars.

A Buddhist Stupa is a religious monument that has been built to commemorate a loved one or to place religious artefacts relating to Buddhism or sacred texts.

Although you may have an image in your mind of what a stupa may look like, for example rounded like in Nepal or other parts of India, the stupas in Arunachal Pradesh are quite different.

The common architecture of a stupa in Arunachal Pradesh is square and long, painted white and red with a yellow rooftop. They also may or may not have a prayer wheel or carvings inside. You’ll see them dotted all over the regions of West Kameng and Tawang.

In Mandala Top the community made a joint effort to donate a stupa from each family. So, the end result was a fantastic religious site for all to enjoy.