Bhutan360 Tour Guide

13/04/2024

11/04/2024

Ugyen village home stay....is a good place

10/04/2024

This temple, Tachog Lhakhang, meaning
“temple of the hill of the excellent horse” Tachog iron bridge is a private monastery currently run by the descendants of Thangtong Gyalpo.
Tachog Lhakang and its famous iron bridgeTachog lhakhang as we hear is a place where the supreme horse of Guru Rinpoche, Tachog Balaha rested. That is why the place is named ‘Tachog’. Over the years, the pronunciation seems to have changed to Tamchog. The chorten there is believed to have the footprint of Guru Rinpoche. Story has it that Guru Rinpoche prophesied the arrival of Thangtong Gyalpo (the Iron Bridge Builder) at this place. Accordingly in the late 13th century, Thangtong Gyalpo visited this place, believed to have flown from Phurdue Goenpa, another holy site associated with him in Paro, and built the magnificent old iron bridge leading towards the lhakhang. As we pass by this lhakhang on our many trips to and from Paro, may it always remind us of Guru Rinpoche. May it remind us of the Iron Bridge Builder, Thangtong Gyalpo. May remembering them bring us closer to the truth.

23/03/2024

18/03/2024

Cultural show

18/03/2024

Pelden Drukpa

16/03/2024

River Adventure at Female River (Mo chuu)

14/03/2024

Now.....Bhutan Believe

13/03/2024

Wow!

12/03/2024

11/03/2024

who visit the monastery on pilgrimage , particularly women seeking blessing to beget children

11/03/2024

Chimi Lhakhang , also known as Monastery or Temple , Is a Buddhist monastery in Punakha District, Bhutan. It stands on a Round Hillock and was built in 1499 by the 14th Drukpa hierarch, Ngwang Choegyel , After the site was blessed by The " Divine Madman " the maverick saint Drukkpa Kinley (1455- 1529) who build a chorent (stupa) on the site

06/03/2024

Kurje Lhakhang (Temple of Body Imprints)
About 15 mins drive from chamkhar town,Kurje Temple is built against a rock cave where, in the 8th century , Guru Padmasambhava subdued evil spirits which had king Sindhu Raja and his family stricken with ailments. There are three main temples: The oldest built in 1652 on the site where the Guru meditated , the second temple where he left his body imprints ,the third added in 1990 s

The first temple has the statues of Buddha Amitabha, sakyamuni, Maitreya, the second temple has Guru Rinpoche (about 12 meters high)
And the third complex comprises the Khenlop Chosum Lhakhang , Phurba Lhakhang (Temple of Vajrakila) and Neten chudrung Lhakhang (Temple of the sixteen Arhats) The Cypress tree near the entrance is said to be the offshoot of Guru' s walking stick. The Drupochu (Holy water) there is considered to be very sacred.

06/03/2024

The way to Haa valley from Paro. To enjoy the scenery and views, one must travel in the morning or evening. You can also see Mt. Jomolhari if the weather is clear. The view from the sky burial site above the pass is even better.

03/03/2024

Taa Dzong

The Dzong is located about five and a half kilometer away from Tshongdu Town (the main town of paro) and 500 feet from the Ringpung Dzong. About it is Humrel Gonpo’s castle, and below it is the Do Nam Dzong.

History

After the Ringpung Dzong was successfully completed, La Ngoenpa Tenzin Drugda, 2nd Desi, was installed as the Paro Penlop. During his tenure the country was threatened by unceasing assaults from Tibet and India. Therefore, to protect the country from invaders and especially to protect the Paro Rinpung Dzong, La-Ngoenpa Tenzin Drugda, together with Chhogyal Minjur Tenpa, built the Ta Dzong (Ta=water, Dzong=fortress) in the mid-svventeenth century.

The Dzong’s fourth floor was used as a jail in the past. There is a foot-bridge, a temporary structure and intended as such, between the upper 5th floor and the lower 3rd floor, which could be disconnected, confining the captives to the 4th floor. Being a removable bridge, it was strategically useful during times of war to limit the enemy’s advance. As a result, the Dzong is also known as Dra Dzong (Defence fortress).

An underground passage is believed to have connected this tower to the Pachu River. It was mainly built to collect water during times of war and to supply the Dzong when water was scarce. Today the passage is no more to be seen, as it was buried by debris at the time of renovations.

Paro Ta Dzong is more than 350 years old. It has remained uninhabited for long time. The children in the nearby area used it as a playground and entertainment room. This caused some damaged to the Dzong, and over time it almost collapsed. But the father of modern Bhutan. The third king, Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, out of undying fondness for the cultural legacies of the past, ordered its renovation.

Structure

The Paro Ta Dzong was built in a circular shape with eight stories. In front, it has a cavity which resembles the sun and the moon, signifying peace within the country and dominance over challengers. The seven-storied building it incorporates resembles the gemstone of wealth, and the outer globular wall serves as the fencing wall (chagri). It is one of the few Dzongs known that did not suffer from damage due to natural disasters or invading forces.

Ta Dzong is renowned for its exemplary architectural designs. The Ta Dzong has a two-a-half-meter-thick wall, designed so that invading forces would crash upon the wall as water upon a cliff. When viewed from the outside it manifests a magnificent monastery. The wall of the Dzong is made out of crescent and circular stones, with clay used to rigidly adjoin them.

In 1714, during the mighty earthquake which lasted for 15days, and again at the time of another earthquake in 1896, the Dzong stood unscathed, whereas many in the country were severely damaged or destroyed. Due to this circumstance, some say that the architect must have been an extraordinary man. Most visitors experience an overwhelming feeling which they can’t describe and does not compare with the effects of other Dzongs.

Unknown Origins

Another oddity surrounding the Dzong is that although it is very structurally sound, there are no historical records of the architect, duration taken to complete the construction, or other related information. Truelpai Zochen Baleb, the architect of Punakha Dzong, was one of the professional builders during that time; so some people say that he could be the mysterious architect. The Dzong was wholly built of stone and wood, without the used of nails. The materials used in Ta Dzong date back to the 17th century.

Renovation and Relics

After completion of the renovation in 1967, the 3rd king, Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, inaugurated the Textile Museum in 1968 and appointed Geshey Tshewang its first director and Kuenzang Rinzin its caretaker. The successive directors also contributed towards improvement of the conditions of the Dzong; but slight flaws in the right window of the 3rd storey and the wall of the 4th storey were detected during the earthquake in 2003.

Renovation work was carried out again in 2003 and old CGI sheets from 1966 were replaced by new CGI sheets. Converting the Dzong into the National Textile Museum has brought many antique and precious objects to the seven-storied Ta Dzong. It becomes the center of attraction for Bhutanese and Tourists alike. So far, records show that approximately 15,000 tourists have visited the National Museum in Paro. Now it not only contains antiques but also serves as an important source of the country’s economic growth.

The Dzong is now beautifully restored with the golden (ser Tog) pinnacle. The sixth storey has a Tshogzing (tree line) of four different religious sects, which was built by sculptor Hayphu Gonpa of Paro. The National Museum’s collection also includes Model portraits of Dzongs of Bhutan in the castle of names Tag Da Gyed, Dorjee Ku, Zhichim on the alter, a statue sculptured out of rhinoceros bone, a dagger, and a sutra text of Tshepagmey (Buddha of long life). The fifth storey holds Ka Nyung Thangka, bronze statues of Neten Chudru (sixteen Arhats), and a statue of Thangtong Gyalpo. The fourth storey contains a portrait of Ta Dzong, ancient stone allures, and texts about the origins of different alphabets. The third storey houses earthen, copper and bronze pots from the 17th century and before. The front of the 4th storey contains Thragyen, Zangtram and Tigtrams (copper coins), a stone from the moon, wooden cups, adornment of male and female figures, ornaments of the Merak and Sakteng people of eastern Bhutan, and a variety of swords. The third storey also contains objects associated with the dual system of government implemented by the Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel.

Various religious objects occupy the second storey. At the front are objects or artifacts related to animals and insects of Bhutan. The first storey displays bamboo products and farming materials. The ground floor exhibits include arms and weapons, along with the castle of Lu (a subterranean deity). On the periphery are antiques from the 18th and 19th century and a cup belonging to the first Desi. At the front are antiques of bronze and copper. Outside the exit is the Baza Guru prayer wheel and a portrait of Gyelchen Zhi (kings of four directions) carved on stones. Historically, the ground floor was used as the entrance, but today the top floor serves as the entrance and the ground floor as the exit.

26/02/2024

-By: Dasho Sonam Kinga

CONFUSION OF PARO TAKTSANG TIGRESS SOLVED!
WHO IS THE TIGRESS OF TAKTSANG? A Preliminary Enquiry about Khandro Yeshe Tshogyel’s Visit to Taktsang.
The holy site of Taktsang in Paro, Bhutan, is synonymous with Guru Rinpoche and his divine consort Khandro Yeshe Tshogyel. Although a monastery was built at this site in 1692 by Gyalse Tenzin Rabgye, the fourth civil ruler of Bhutan, the site was visited and blessed by Guru Rinpoche way back in the 8th century. Its sacredness has been reinforced by the visits and spiritual undertakings of great Buddhist luminaries over the centuries.
Pilgrims and tourists visiting Taktsang Monastery are generally told two things associated with Yeshe Tshogyel, who was a Tibetan princess and an emanation of Lhamo Yangchenma (Sarasvati).
One, when Guru Rinpoche transformed into Dorje Drolo (one of his eight manifestations) and flew to Taktsang riding on the back of a tigress, Yeshe Tshogyel had transformed into that tigress.
Two, Yeshe Tshogyel did the Vajra Kilaya practice at the cave of Sengephu in Taktshang.
Sources, both oral and literary – including tourist-oriented materials – provide different versions of the narrative of Yeshe Tshogyel, the tigress and Vajra Kilaya practice.
Trulku Thondup (1996) for example, mentions that Guru Rinpoche practiced Vajra Kilaya with Yeshe Tshogyel at Paro Taktshang and that she transformed herself into a tigress and became his mount when he manifested as Dorje Drolo.[i] This suggests that Guru Rinpoche and Yeshe Tshogyel were already at Paro Taktshang and it was only during the practice and accomplishment of Vajra Kilaya that the transformation took place.
But this contrasts with narratives found in tourist books and oral folklore which suggest that Guru Rinpoche had already transformed into Dorje Drolo when he rode on the back of a tigress and flew to Taktshang.[ii]
Another source suggests that Guru Rinpoche flew from Senge Dzong in Lhuntse to Taktsang in the form of Dorje Drolo riding on a tigress although it does not mention Yeshe Tshogyel as the tigress.[iii]
In yet another source, it is mentioned that Yeshe Tshogyel transformed herself into a tigress while meditating at Taktshang ‘to protect herself from harmful humans and wild animals.’[iv] It also mentions that the tigress on which Dorje Drolo is mounted is the form assumed by Yeshe Tshogyel.
The common theme that binds different versions of these narratives is usually the association of Yeshe Tshogyel with the tigress. As such, this is also the point of enquiry of this article. Is Yeshe Tshogyel the tigress in the lair?
A few however, speak of it being the manifestation of Monmo Tashi Kheudren also known as Bumden Tshomo instead of Yeshe Tshogyel. She was the daughter of Sendha Gyalp of Bumthang who invited Guru Rinpoche to Bhutan in the 8th century. Guru Rinpoche took Tashi Kheudren as his spiritual consort for the ta***ic practice at Kurjey in Bumthang to subdue Shelging Karpo, the local deity – who is said to have caused illness to Sendha Gyalp. It was to help treat his incurable ailment that Sendha Gyalp had invited Guru Rinpoche.
This event however, took place during Guru’s first visit to Bhutan. He did not visit Taktshang at that time.
Karma Phuntsho (2013) also identifies the tigress as the manifestation of Tashi Kheudren. But this is a different Tashi Kheudren. She is the daughter of a local chief called Hangrey ‘probably from Bumthang or Kurtoe’ and not Sendha Gyalp. They are said to have met while Yeshe Tshogyel was meditating at Senge Dzong.
“Yeshe Tshogyel took Tashi Kheudren as her student and introduced her to Padmasambhava in Taktshang.[v] As she possessed all the hallmarks of a spiritual partner, Padmasambhava took Tashi Kheudren as his consort in order to undertake all the esoteric practice of Vajrakilaya. As the culmination of this religious meditative practice, Padmasambhava is said to have manifested in the appearance of Dorji Drolod while Tashi Kheudren, who had already achieved great spiritual heights transformed herself into a tigress.”[vi]
All these raise the question that this article seeks to ask.
Who is the tigress in the lair?
Yeshe Tshogyel or Tashi Kheudren?
The other question that also needs to be asked is this: was it Vajra Kilaya that Yeshey Tshogyel practiced at Paro Taktshang?
I had the good fortune of spending eleven days and nights at Sengephu in Taktshang recently. It was there that I read the translation of Yeshe Tshogyel’s biography, which I bought in Kathmandu, Nepal fourteen years ago. I took it as an auspicious coincidence that the book, which had collected dust for so long on my bookshelf, could be read in the very cave where Yeshe Tshogyel spent seven months.
Translated by Keith Dowman, the biography was first written by Gyalwa Jangchub along with Namkhai Nyingpo.
Gyalwa Jangchub also known as Atsara Sale was a consort of Yeshe Tshogyel from Nepal.
The biography was hidden as a treasure text in Lhorong, Kham. Taksham Nuden Dorji who was also known as Samten Lingpa and the reincarnation of Gyalwa Jangchub, revealed the biography as terma text in the 18th century.
The following is therefore, an answer to the question posed as title to this article based wholly on this biography. I must emphasize the fact that it deals only with Yeshe Tshogyel in Taktshang, and not with the visits and exploits of Guru Rinpoche in Taktshang, a subject which I intend to pursue separately later.
Yeshe Tshogyel first comes to Bhutan from Tidro in Tibet. She had gone to Tidro to meditate following the precepts, empowerments and teachings she received from Guru Rinpoche at Samye. His instruction to her was thus;
“Practice at Womphu Taktsang, Mon Taktsang and Kham Taktsang and in all those places where there is a naturally manifest image of Guru Rinpoche, particularly in Tidro itself.”[vii]
It is common knowledge to many Bhutanese that the massive cliff of Paro Taktshang has the appearance of Dorje Drolo. The three Taktshangs mentioned here, and events associated with them have been confused in latter narratives, oral or textual, that gave rise to different versions.
Many assume that there is just one Taktshang, in Paro, Bhutan, and hence associate events that happened in other Taktshangs with the one at Paro.
Yeshe Tshogyel comes to Sengye Dzong from Tidro with her consort Atsara Sale and a girl called Dewamo.[viii]
During the course of her meditation and austere practices, a girl called Khyidren visits her and offers her honey and milk from time to time. Khyidren was the daughter of local king called Hamrey. She asks him to give her his daughter who was thirteen years old then and had all the marks of a dakini.[ix]
During my research about Khoma village in Lhuntse more than a decade ago, I was informed that the origin of the name Khoma is based on Guru Rinpoche telling the local ruler that he has a daughter/girl (khomo) whom the Guru would need (for ta***ic practice) “ང་ལ་མཁོ་བའི་མཁོ་མོ་ཞིག་འདུག།”.[x]
It now turns out that it was Yeshe Tshogyel instead of Guru Rinpoche who said so.
Indeed, Guru Rinpoche says the same to Yeshe Tshogyel later but in a different location as we shall see below.
Yeshe Tshogyel names the girl Tashi Chidren[xi] (‘Fortunate Guide to Mankind’) and brings her along with others to Taktshang from Senge Dzong.
There were five of them at Taktshang: Yeshe Tshogyel, her consorts Atsara Sale and Atsara Pelyang, a Bhutanese boy called Sale and Tashi Chidren.
The sign board pointing towards Sengephu at the junction between it and Taktshang monastery states, “This is a cave, where Khado (dakini) Yeshi Tshogyal practised, Vajrakilaya (Phurpa).”
The lines written in Dzongkha on the walls of the cave also state likewise.
However, Yeshe Tshogyel states that her practice there was ‘the seed essence of co-incident pleasure and Emptiness’ (བདེ་སྟོང་ཟུང་འཇུག་ཐིག་ལེའི་དཀའ་སྦྱད)[xii] and not Vajra Kilaya.
After months of vigorous practice, her body assumes the appearance of sixteen year old maiden and transforms herself into Vajra Varahi. The following lines inscribed below the painting of Yeshe Tshogyel at Sengephu[xiii] on a rectangular granite-like stone tablet as a sixteen-year old maiden capture the essence of her accomplishment.
སྤ་གྲོ་སྟག་ཚང་ཟབ་ལམ་བརྟུལ་ཞུགས་སྤྱོད། Undertaking austere practice at Paro Taktshang on the profound path,
སྒོ་གསུམ་བདེ་ཆེན་རྡོ་རྗེ་གསུམ་དུ་གྱུར། The three doors (of body, speech and mind) became Buddha’s three modes;
བཅུ་དྲུག་ལང་ཚོས་སྒེག་པའི་གཟི་མདངས་འབར། Blazing red radiance like a graceful sixteen-year old maiden,
དཔའ་མོ་ཧེ་རུ་ཀ་ལ་གསོལ་བ་འདེབས། To the Heroine Vajra Varahi, I pray!
At Sengephu, Yeshe Tshogyel receives a vision of Amitayus mandala (Tshepame) and a prophecy that she foretells her lifespan to be 225 years. From there, she and all her companions go to Womphu Taktshang, and meet Guru Rinpoche.
It was there that Guru Rinpoche foretells their reappearance in future: Guru Rinpoche as Pha Dampa Sangye and Yeshe Tshogyel as Machig Lapdron. He also prophesizes that Atsara Sale would appear then as a monk and be a divine consort to Machig Labdron. Tashi Khyidren would be her only daughter where as the Bhutanese boy, Sale, would be her spiritual son. Atsara Pelyang would also appear as a monk and become her mystic consort. [xiv]
It was also there at Womphu Taktshang that Guru Rinpoche asks Yeshe Tshogyel to give him Tashi Chidren, who has all the marks of Awareness Dakini (Vajrakarmaki). She would be employed as his consort for the practice of Dorji Phurba (Vajra Kilaya).
Yeshe Tshogyel offers Tashi Chidren to her Guru and prays that he reveal to her the ta***ic mysteries and to her, Yeshe Tshogyel, the secret instructions of Dorje Phurba.
Guru Rinpoche sends Yeshe Tshogyel to Uru in Central Tibet to find a 14-year old boy who would be her ta***ic partner for the practice. She finds him and returns. Guru Rinpoche names the boy, Lhalung Pelgyi Sengye, who would be reborn later as Lhalung Pelgyi Dorji and assassinate the anti-Dharma king, Langdarma.
It was therefore, at Womphu Taktsang in Tibet and not Paro Taktshang in Bhutan that the practice of Dorje Phurba (Vajra Kilaya) was initiated by Guru Rinpoche along with his five ‘root’ spiritual sons.
They were Lhalung Pelgyi Sengye, Namkhai Nyingpo, Ma Rinchen Chok, Dorje Dunjom and Yeshe Tshogyel. Her four other companions were also assigned roles in the initiatory rite of Dorje Phurba.
“Dewamo, who was renamed Chonema, the Glorious Priestess, was appointed the Vajra hostess (Dorje Jenmo); Atsara Sale and Atsara Pelyang were appointed Vajra Dancers (Dorje Gingpa) and renamed Karma Dondup and Karma Tarje; the Bhutanese boy Sale was appointed Vajra Attendant (Vajrakarmaka); and then, at the beginning, he made me the ‘root consort’ and Tashi Khyidren the ‘liberating consort’.”[xv]
The Guru and his two consorts practiced for seven nights, and all signs of accomplishment of the Dorje Phurba practice appeared. The signs included the manifestation of the gods attending to Dorje Phurba and dancing of ritual daggers ‘redolent with perfumes’.
I quote Yeshe Tshogyel at length below in order to answer the primary question that concerns this article.
“The evening that these miraculous signs appeared, the Guru himself was transformed into Dorje Trollo (Adamantine Sagging Belly) with myself as Ekajati (The Crone with One Hair Knot), joined in union with him, and Tashi Khyidren as our mount, the tigress, to subject the gods and demons of microcosmic worlds of the four quarters of Tibet.
Riding upon the back of the girl Khyidren transformed into a tigress, the Guru and his mystic partner absorbed in the samadhi of Dorje Phurba, holding a nine-pronged vajra in his right hand and rolling a phurba of bell-metal in his left hand, the Guru projected countless, fierce, terrifying beings in forms identical to himself. In particular, one of these forms called Blue-black V

24/02/2024

PARO DZONG

Approached by a gently sloping flagstone road and an attractive wooden cantilever bridge roofed with shingles and abutted by two guard houses, the Dzong is the administrative seat of the district of Paro. It also houses the state monastic community of about 200 monks.

History
The construction of the Paro Dzong began in 1644 on the order of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel, the unifier of modern-day Bhutan. Unlike most of the other Dzongs in Bhutan, it survived the massive 1897 earthquake although it was damaged by fire in 1906.

Paro Dzong’s full name is Rinpung Dzong, which means ‘the fortress of the heap of jewels’. In the 15th century, two brothers- descendants of Phajo Drugom Zhigpo, the founder of the Drukpa Kagyupa School in Bhutan- named Gyelchhog and Gyelzom lived in the Paro Valley. Gyelzom established himself at Gangtakha Monastery, while his brother Gyelchhog traveled to Tibet to study theology. When Gyelchhog came back to Paro, he was not respected in the community, as he had become a pauper. His brother Gyelzom renounced his existence; in his eyes a ’beggar’ could not be part of the family.

Gyelchhog then moved to Humrelkha, a place which took its name from the guardian deity of Paro, Humrel Goenpo. He built a five-storied structure, which would later become the Paro Dzong, on a ridge above the Pa Chu River. It is said that at the base of the cliff was the La Tsho (Soul Lake) of the deity Jag Wog Nep. In 1644, Gyelchhog, ‘the Lord of Humrel’, relinquished his small fort to Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel, thus recognizing his religious and political prowess. Immediately, the Zhabdrung began the construction of a much superior and more extensive fortress. The Dzong was consecrated by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel and Karma Rigzin Nyingpo, the reincarnation of Terteon Sangay Lingpa. La Ngonpo Tenzin Drugda was appointed as the first Penlop in 1646 and became the centre of a dual administration- both spiritual and temporal. The Penlop’s jurisdiction extended from Pharikha in the north and Dalikha in the west to Pagsamkha in the south. In 1907, during the time of the 23rd Penlop Dawa Penjor, the Dzong was burnt almost to the ground. All important relics and statues were lost to the fire and nothing could be salvaged except for the Thongdroel, a 20*20 meter-wide Thangka. It is displayed to the public during the annual Paro Tshechu. With money raised by a special tax levied throughout Bhutan, the Dzong was immediately rebuilt to the original design by the Paro Penlop Dawa Penjor. The master carpenters in the construction were Geden from Paro Shomo and Zochung from Paro Chang. The work was supervised by Zimpoen Ri Thangpa Sigyal.

Structure and Facilities
Administrative offices line the first courtyard of the Dzong. The entrance is guarded by two traditional paintings standing on either side of the gate: a Mongol holding a tiger on a leash and a man holding a black yak.

The five-storied Utse of the Dzong is one of the most beautiful structures, with its outstanding woodwork. Its 4th floor has a temple dedicated to the line of Drukpa Kagyupa Lamas, a temple of the eight kinds of chortens and a temple of Taras. A statue of Guru Rimpochhe, built by Sherab Wangchuk, is located in the 4th floor. The Goenkhang is located on the 3rd floor and houses statues of Mahakala and Mahakali. Next to it is the Terton Lhakhang, where the statue of Gonpo Maning, emanation of Mahakala, resides.

Another exceptional feature of the Dzong is a small Lhakhang built against the base of one of the eastern tower’s walls. This temple is dedicated to Chuchizhey, the eleven-headed god Avalokitesvara, with his thousand arms and thousand eyes. The ceiling is adorned with nine beautiful Mandalas. At the entrance of the Dzong is the Chhagdor temple. In the Mithrugpa Lhakhang, the main statue is that of Lord Buddha and Zhabdrung, built by Sherab Wangchuk, the 10th Penlop. In the Dukhang is the Lord Buddha, built by Dawa Penjor.

The annual Paro Tshechu is held from the 9th till the 15th of the 2nd month every year. It was first introduced by Gyalse Tenzin Rabgye in 1687. While the Tshechu was initially held in the Dzong, after the reconstruction in 1907 it was held outside. The highlight of the Tshechu is the Thongdroel which is believed to deliver from all sins. The Thongdroel that was saved from the fire of 1907 was built by Lama Nawang Rabgay and is considered one of the oldest in Bhutan. It was slightly renovated by the government about twenty year’s age. The material for the Thongdroel was brought from Lhasa in Tibet.

23/02/2024

Kyichu Lhakhang

Kyichu Lhakhang is one of the 108 temples built by Songtsen Gampo, the Tibetan Buddhist King in and around Tibet to hold down an ogress opposed to the spread of Buddhism. This temple in particular pins down the left foot of the ogress and so is the belief. There are other two of these temples built in Bhutan namely, Jampa Lhakhang in Bumthang and Goen Phu Lhakhang in Gasa. Not only are the three built by Songtsen Gampo, the Lhakhang Karpo and Nagpo in Haa are also believed to be built by him.
The Old Temple
The temple was built in the 659 by Songtsen Gampo and expanded by the 25th JeKhenpo Sherab Gyaltshen and the then Paro Penlop in 1839.
The Central Figurine in the temple is Buddha Sakyamuni holding a begging bowl in the left hand and with its right hand hanging over the right leg and touching the Earth in Bhumisparsha Mudra or Earth-Witnessing Hand Gesture (Dz. Sanyoengi Chhagzha. To the right and left of the Central Figurine and at the forefront are the Nyewi Serchen G*y or Eight Boddhisattvas.They include:
i. Maitrya Buddha or Gyalwa Jampa
ii. Manjushri or Jampelyang
iii. Vajrapani or Chhagna Dorji
iv. Avaloketeswara or Chenrezig
v. Samanthabhadhra or Kuentu Zangpo
vi. Ksh*tigarbha or Sayi Nyingpo
vii. Akasha Garbha or Namkhai Nyingpo and
viii. Sarvani Varana Vishkambhini or Driba Namsel

Except for the statues of Mithrugpa( Buddha Aksobya) and a small altar dedicated to Khentse Rimpochhe the other statues are mostly that of Chenrezig or Avaloketeswara in different forms.

Guru Lhakhang or the New Temple

It was built by Azhi Kezang Wangmo Wangchuck, the Royal Grandmother in 1968. The Central Figurine is a 5 meter high statue of Guru Nangsi Zilnyoen. Going in a clockwise direction, the first statue is that of Guru Hortshog Makdhog, the second is the statue of Khentse Rimpochhe, the third is Khenpo Boddhisattva, the fourth is a stupa containing the relics of Khentse Rimpochhe, the fifth or the Central Figurine is Guru Nangsi Zilnyoen, the sixth is a Lhabab Chorten or stupa dedicated to the descending day of Buddha from Tush*ta Heaven to Earth, the seventh is statue of Chenrezig, the eighth is a statue of Droelma Kurukule and the last is a statue of the Second Tibetan Buddhist King Thrisong Deutsen who built the Samye Monastery.

22/02/2024

PUNAKHA DZONG

Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel, the founder of the Bhutanese state, built the Punakha Dzong and later died there in 1651. It was named Pungthang Dechen Phodrang Dzong, which means the Palace of Great Bliss. Located on a stretch of land where two rivers, the Phochu and the Mochu converge, the Dzong appears as a great anchored ship.

History
At Punakha Dzong, Ugyen Wangchuck, Bhutan’s first King was crowned in 1907. Punakha was the first capital of Bhutan and the Dzong served as the central of government. The first session of the National Assembly was held there in 1953. According to legend, the construction of the Dzong was aided by the many deities in the area. The protecting deity of Nobgang, together with a female deity, Dorichum, the lady of the stones, supplied the stones needed for the structure. The timber provided by the protecting deity of Tsachaphu village was floated down the Phochu River.

In 1639, the Dzong was attacked by the Tibetans supported by Five Groups of Lamas. The next attack came in 1644, launched by the 5th Dalai Lama. The Tibetans lost the battle, and the Tibetan commanders had to publicly submit to the Zhabdrung. To commemorate the victory over the Tibetans, the Goenkhang was built in 1645 and named Yu Gyal Goenkhang Chhen Mo, ‘the great shrine of the protective and victorious lord’. The captured weapons and armor were placed in the temple. A New Year festival was also introduced to celebrate the victory. The victorious soldiers, known as the pazaps, re-enact the war during the festival.

As the second Dzong to have been built by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel, it served as the seat of government until the reign of the second king, Jigme Wangchuck. 600 monks were brought from Chari Goenpa, in the northern Thimphu valley; and under the order of the Zhabdrung, the Central Monastic Body was founded there. The Central Monastic Body still resides at Punakha Dzong during the winter.

Having been ravaged by fire, earthquakes and floods many times, Punakha Dzong had been rebuilt several times and always to the original specifications, overseen either by the Desi or the Je Khenpo. According to common folklore, Zhabdrung had taken a dislike to the Dzong; therefore, in 1835 he summoned a flood upon the area which damaged it. It was repaired in 1849. Another fire in 1986 caused considerable damage to the south-west corner of the Dzong, which was the home of the Je Khenpo. It was renovated under the command of the fourth king, Jigme Singye Wangchuck.

Structure
When approaching the Dzong, one had to cross the Mochu River via a suspension bridge which is now replaced by a traditional cantilever bridge. The bridge leads to three steep wooden staircases, above which is the immense front door of the Dzong. The staircases were strategically designed; in times of war they could be removed, making the Dzong in effect impenetrable. The front door leads to the first courtyard, which is occupied by the district administration. A six storied central tower with temples on every floor stands at the end of the courtyard. The Ranjung Kharsapani (a self-created image of the Bodhisattva of Compassion, Avalokitesvara or Chenrezig), Bhutan’s most sacred relic, is kept in one of the temples.

The embalmed body of Jampel Dorji, Zhabdrung’s son, is within another temple inside the Utse. Beyond the Utse, surrounded by prayer halls, cloisters, and several temples, is the second courtyard, designated for the monks. Among them is the Dechog Lhakhang. The third courtyard is at the southern end of the Dzong and boasts its architectural masterpiece: the enormous Kunrey, or assembly hall of the monks. Situated at the centre of the hall is a towering statue of the Buddha, accompanied by images of Zhabdrung and Guru Rimpochhe. Also in the third courtyard are the Je Khenpo’s (head Abbots) living quarters and personal temple.

At the end of the Dzong is a Machen Zimchu, a temple where the embalmed body of the Zhabdrung is kept in a sealed casket inside spectacularly gilded chorten. For fear that news of his death would create chaos within his newly founded nation, in 1651 the people were simply told that the Zhabdrung had gone into meditation and would not be making any public appearances. The ruse was successfully kept by Zhabdrung’s heirs for the security of the nation. With the exception of two senior attendant monks, only the King and the Je Khenpo are allowed inside the Zhabdrung’s shrine. All the Kings and Je Khenpos of Bhutan begin their reigns by offering prayers at this shrine. The embalmed body of the saint, Pema Lingpa, resides within the same temple; but some believe it to be the embalmed body of Pema Lingpa’s son.

The Indian Saint and the Dzongchung
According to a legend, the Indian Saint Lam Ngagi Rinchen, or Vanaratna, came to Bhutan in the 14th century, searching for the spirit of his deceased mother. He first reached Paro, but because he did not speak the language he made only minute progress. In order to make a living, he worked as a cow herder. Sometime later, Ngagi Rinchen moved to Punakha and lived in a village north of the present Dzong. During the day he worked as a cow-herder, while his nights were spent meditating in a cave. One morning, much to his surprise, he noticed a large stone in front of a cave. The stone, in the form of a frog, contained the spirit of his mother. To free her spirits, he broke the stone. In commemoration of this event he built the Dzongchung and placed inside it a Buddha’s image. Though the Dzongchung has been damaged by floods several times and rebuilt, the altar where the Buddha’s image is placed has miraculously remained unscathed. This tranquil and seemingly indestructible Buddha is an object of great devotion.

Punakha Dzong Reconstructed
The premier quality of the 13 crafts of the Zorig Chusum tradition is shown in the reconstruction of the Punakha Dzong. Traditional Bhutanese woodwork, masonry, metalwork, and paintings ornament the colossal main structures. New treasures that have enriched the numerous Lhakhangs in the Dzong include more than 200 sacred images, finely crafted from the five Minjim (precious substances) and modern elements, including copper, brass and other metals. Over the centuries, the Dzong has faced numerous challenges by both man and nature. It was damaged by fires in 1780, 1789, 1802, 1831, 1849, and in 1986. There was a massive earthquake in 1897 and a devastating flash food in 1994, when the Dzongchung, which houses the images of the Jhou (Lord Buddha) and Duptho Ngagi Rinchen (Vanaratna), were nearly washed away.

Festivities
Punakha Domchoe, which takes place in the first month of the Bhutanese year, is a glorious event and a superb demonstration of Bhutanese culture, combining powerful rites with a dazzling display of horsemanship and swordplay.