The Tibetan monasteries cluster around Bodh Gaya in several distinct compounds, and the Tergar Monastery is among the largest and most active. It belongs to the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism and hosts large gatherings of Tibetan monks and laypeople, particularly in December and January when the weather is cool and the pilgrimage season peaks.
The compound includes a large prayer hall where hundreds of monks may be chanting simultaneously — an experience that makes the abstract reality of Tibetan Buddhism suddenly concrete. The Tergar guesthouse next door is one of the better budget options in town, popular with Western practitioners and long-stay meditators. The daily puja schedule is posted at the entrance; attending an early morning session is well worth the effort.