Tawang
Tawang Monastery is the largest monastery in India and the second largest in the world after Lhasa's Potala Palace — a magnificent 400-year-old Tibetan Buddhist complex at 3,048 metres that is the spiritual and cultural heart of the entire Monpa community of Arunachal Pradesh. The monastery's main prayer hall houses a 8-metre golden Buddha statue, a massive library of over 400 rare Tibetan manuscripts, and some of the finest traditional Tibetan Buddhist art in the subcontinent. Standing on its ramparts watching prayer flags snap in the high-altitude wind is an experience of rare spiritual power.
The Tawang Festival (Torgya) in January and the Losar (Tibetan New Year) celebrations in February–March are the most spectacular times to visit — the monastery comes alive with colourful mask dances, rituals, and community gatherings.