Rumtek, renowned for its gompas and their austere charming rituals, lies in the lap of the Himalayas, in the eastern Indian state of Sikkim. It is the main seat of the Karma Kagyu lineage (Black Hat sect) and was founded by the first Gyalwa karmapa in the 12th century. The Karmapa is the supreme spiritual head of the Karma Kagyu, a discipline of Tibetan Buddhism. This line of profound meditation practice traces its genesis to Shakyamuni Buddha and the primeval Buddha, Vajradhara. The Dharma Chakra Centre or the Rumtek Monastery the largest in Sikkim is home to the Lamas (Tibetan Buddhist monks) who perform sacred rituals and practices.

In 1992, His Holiness the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa was recognized through a prophesied letter left by his antecedent. In the year 2000, he made a dramatic escape from Tibet to India where he currently lives in a temporary residence near Dharamsala, awaiting permission from the Indian Government to return to the Monastery, his seat-in-exile.

In 1959, following the communist Chinese invasion, His Holiness the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa escaped from Tibet. On arrival at Bhutan, the King of Sikkim and the royal family offered permanent residence for His Holiness and his followers. Accepting the offer to set up his exile seat, he chose to settle in Rumtek. His Holiness founded his seat near the 300-year old Kagyu Monastery built in the 16th century by the fourth King of Sikkim under the guidance of the ninth Karmapa. Starting in 1962, construction of the Monastery was completed and the sacred items and relics from Tsurphu were housed here. The new Rumtek Monastery nearby soon developed into the International Kagyu Headquarters during the life of His Holiness. It also grew to become the residence of a new generation of Kagyu masters who train in traditional studies and meditation practice that began 800 years ago.

The Dharma Chakra Center includes an intricately constructed main shrine temple and monastery with monks' quarters, where the Karmapa resides and where most of the important relics are enshrined; a three-year retreat center; a Shedra or monastic college, where the relics of the Sixteenth Karmapa are preserved; a nunnery; stupas; a protector's shrine; institutions for the lay community and other establishments.

The Monastery convenes annual events for the public. Two of the most festive and important events are held each summer and winter. In the fourth lunar month of the Tsurphu Tibetan calendar the Guru Rinpoche or the Vajrakilaya Drupchen (great sadhana practice) take place. The practice events last for 10 days and are followed by the conventional sacred lama dance of the eight manifestations of Guru Padmasambhava, Yidam deities, and other protectors.

At the end of the lunar year, in the 12th month (usually sometime between February and March), Rumtek holds another festive 10-day practice of the Mahakala Protector. This is followed by the traditional sacred lama dance of Mahakala. The Tibetan New Year or Losar usually lasts for three-eight days, with the cultural and spiritual festivities, typically involving many Tibetan opera dance performances. These are some of the most festive and important holidays for Rumtek. These events provide a unique opportunity for those who participate in them and those who simply visit and enjoy the traditional performances.