05/03/2021
A BRIEF STORY OF CHENDEBJI VILLAGE AND THEIR TRADITION.
Chendebji is a well-known valley in central Bhutan. It is known particularly for the large 19th century choeten (stupa) located below the highway five kilometers from Chendebji village. Built by Lam Oensey Tshering Wangchuk, it is
modeled after the Bodhnath stupa in Kathmandu, Nepal. Also associated with the Chendebji valley is the living legend of Nyala Dum, a ferocious demon whose diabolic exploits are recounted both orally and in folk literature. The name of the Valley is derived from Chendebji village, which is a very old settlement. It is mentioned in the hagiography of the 15th
century saint Drukpa Kuenley. He was traveling from western Bhutan to the east. After reaching the Pelela Pass, he declined to travel further saying he would not vist places where 'three bji meet'. These places are the three villages of Rukubji, Chendebji and Tangsibji that are located in the area. Chendebji village then, was however, located at a different site. The present village was the course of a stream. A heavy flood long ago washed down many boulders which litter the landscape of the village today. The stream, Khebachu gradually changed course. Chendebji village sprung on the former course. Khebachu flows on its right side. Many villagers do not seem to know about this flood. Some even deny that there was such a flood. However, Khebachu seems to flood once in a while. Phurpa Wangdi, 63 yrs. old remembers experiencing a flood in 1983. Khebachu is formed by two streams, each flowing below the base of two mountains, Semchekam and Lamsala. A deep course
upstream often builds and burst natural barriers causing heavy flood downstream. The sources of each stream in these mountains are called Kemlagang and Zhoutugsa. There are
plenty of tsendug (acotinum) plants growing in the watershed of these streams. Hence, taking a hot stone bath downstream is believed to have curative effects.
Chendebji (Cenden-bji) means the 'Valley of Cypress'. 'Chenden' or 'Tsenden' means cypress, and 'bji' ground or valley. A lofty cypress tree grows below the village beside the road that approaches it. This tree is less than 100 years old. Ap Wangchu Norbu, 84 years old remembers that there stood in his childhood days a much larger tree. It had a hollow trunk.
Beneath it, seven people could lie down to sleep. The village is located at the confluence of two streams: Khebachu (phochu or male stream) and Maleychhu (mochu or female stream). Hence the description of village in the following verse:
Where phochu flows on the right
Where mochu flows on the left
The upper village is a plain, like a golden lotus
The lower village, like a silver bowl
In the middle, the palace of a lord-deity
Circled by oaks like a fence
Where peach trees are offered as mandala
Where cypress trees are spread like canopies
It is believed that a dupthob called Agay Tenp (Tenpa?)
thought that the people in his village should spread out from the base of a cypress and multiply like its seeds. He looked for two cypress trees, a male and a female, and planted them on a 'bji' ground with the prayer that people should flourish in his village. By the time the two trees grew large, the village also became a large settlement. However, it had no local kasung
(deity entrusted with the protection (sung) of
Dharma/Command (ka). It was then that Yab Tenpi Nima, father of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal (1594 -1650) visited the village. Agay Tenp (Tenpa) welcomed Yab Tenpi Nyima in his house and paid obeisance making many offerings. Agay Tenp is believed to be an incarnation of Jampelyang, who composed the dances performed during the annual Lhabon
festival. Yap Tenpi Nyima subdued local devil and naga. He installed the Gyelp (ruling deity) of Samye, Tibet as the kasung of Chendebji. A shrine, goenkhang was also built for him.
Another source says that Yab Tenpi Nyima commanded the local deity Gyelp Dungley Karpo also known as Kuntu Zangpo to safeguard the village. Oral sources mention that there were about one hundred households that dotted the surrounding hills. A dungpa (administrator of a sub-district) and a neyp (host, usually of
high officials) administered these households. The ruins of dungpa's house can be seen on a hill opposite the village. Today, Chendebji constitutes of twenty-two households.
Almost every household has a name though a few households share similar names. They are Nagtshang, Togto, Pogtoteng (two households), Drongtey, Ruleynang (two households), Zaga, Phakhap (two households), Geypai Tsawa (two
households), Jidrong (three households), Lhagang Tsawa (four households), Drongmey (two households) and Tsigpuding. They have been named according to their location in the village mostly in relation to the Nagtshang, which is centrally located.
Local history revolves around the Nagtshang, which stands out prominently owing to its larger size, structure and an eminent family who lived in it. It is said that Yab Tenpi Nyima shot arrows from an unidentified place in Punakha.
The arrows landed at the houses of Bemji Choeji, Taktse Choeji and Chendebji Nagtshang in Trongsa, and at Ula Sangm in Wangdue Phodrang. He is said to have visited each of these places. On arrival at Chendebji, Tshewang Tashi, owner of the Nagtshang welcomed Yab Tenpi Nyima who gave him a new name, Lamchung. It is not known whether this Tshewang Tashi is same as Agay Tenp since both of them are remembered as ones who first welcomed Yab Tenpi Nyima. The Nagtshang still possesses the golden Kadam Choeten (measuring approximately about 7 inches), a phurba (a three-sided dagger used by exocists and lama in ceremonies and rituals), a conch, a volume of Gyatongpa (an abridged scripture containing 8000 s'loka) whose first folio is written in gold, a small lead dog (whose back has holes to hold incense sticks) and some other relics which Yab Tenpi Nyima gave to
Tshewang Tashi. He also provided the zung (mystic charm woven into printed mantra, statues etc) for the choeten located below the village lhakhang. While these relics are private
property, the dzongkhag administration ensures their safety. Some of the relics are locked in a safe which is opened on the first day of every eleventh month by the dzongkhag
administration. A prayer ceremony called the Lamai Tsham is also performed on that day.
When the mortal remains of the late King His Majesty Jigme Dorji Wangchuk (regin: 1952-72) were cremated in Kurjey, Bumthang, many monks from Punakha Dratshang attended it.
On their way to Punakha after the cremation, they spent a night at the Chandebji Nagtshang. Although the Nagtshang owner did not know, the lead dog was stolen. Three months later, the image of the dog was returned by a zamsungp (brideguard) who said that it was passed on to him by a monk. The image was wrapped in a daphne paper containing a few grains of rice.
Besides their religious and historical significance, the relics are important to the village in contemporary farming context.
Whenever hailstorm of strong winds tend to damage crops, the golden choeten is kept on the window of Nagtshang, and the conch blown. Then, the hailstorm and wind always stops.
Similarly, when there is no rainfall, a person wearing a blue gho would climb up to the roof of Nagtshang to read the Gyatongpa. Lamchung's son Gomchen Gyeltshen is reportedly one of the first students of Lama Togden Shacha Sheri. On his return from a visit to Tibet, he brought with him, karmi jamchhe (hundred butter lights) which are precious family possession. Some sixty to seventy years ago, the Tsipi Lopen (master of astrology) of Trongsa Dratshang used to visit
the Nagtshang to offer tshog and lhadar to the local deity. This tradition has stopped. It was around that time that the Nagtshang was renovated and assumed its present shape.
His Majesty Ugyen Wangchuck (r. 1907-1926) and His Majesty Jigme Wangchuck (reign: 1926-1952) would always alight from their mounts in the vicinity of the Nagtshang while
traveling. While they may not necessarily visit the Nagtshang in person, they would always send a representative with offerings for the deity. Sometimes, they would camp in the small park where the Chendebji Community School has been built. The park was called Maleytham. At other times, they would send a monk or a garto (retainer) to make offerings a day before their journey. Another household of significance to the village is the Drongmey. The gup of Chendebji came from this household. Gup Pangla became well-known during the time of
Zhabdrung. The villagers were able to offer, through him to the Zhabdrung in Punakha, 20 bog of rice as regular offering.
(1 bog equals 20 dey). As a token for such offering, the gup was entitled to a high seat (denthob) in Punakha Dzong, a symbol of honour bestowed on him and the village. It is said that his name is recorded in the Chayig Chhenmo (Supreme Laws) of Zhabdrung, carved on slates. These slates are displayed in the dzongchung in front of Punakha Dzong. In recognition of his
offerings, the Zhabdrung gave Gup Pangla an image of himself which he had made. This image is a family treasure.
Incidentally, the root of the cypress tree from which the village derives its name is said to emerge from the ground floor of this house although the tree grows more than 70 metres down the house. Another public position of significance in the local history of Chendebji is its chipon, village herald. He is mentioned in a
19th century ballad. In it, he gives direction to the militia led by Pemi Tshewang Tashi who were on their way to a battle at Trongsa. Unlike other chipon, that of Chendebji was equal in rank to a Nyikem (a high official who has been awarded red scarf by the king) especially during the reign of His Majesty Jigme Wangchuck. Every year, he had to call on the king once, and submit reports of labour contributions, collections of
cereals and diary products from his locality. Among his other responsibilities, the major one was to screen and regulate the movements of people from western Bhutan to Kuenga Rabten,
Trongsa and Wangdichholing, Bumthang, the king's summer and winter palaces respectively. Many people, including high officials often with caravan of mules and horses travelled to call on the King. If the palace passed instructions to refuse passage, the chipon had to send them away. However, some would insist that they be given permission to proceed since they had come a long way carrying gifts for the king. If such a person succeeds in reaching the palace, the chipon would be summoned and lashed. Afterwards, he would manhandle the guest even if he were a powerful chieftain, and send him
away by forcibly retaining his goods and horses. In order to control human traffic, the chipon and people of Chendebji would more than often remove the bridge, Maleyzam, below the village. The bridge used to be cut off during times of
conflict restricting communication.
The Chendebji chipon is changed every year on the 5th day of the 3rd month. Every household takes turn to serve as chipon. In the ceremony of appointing the new chipon, a sheep used to
be sacrificed. Today, every household contributes three eggs after the tradition of sheep-sacrifice was abolished. The outgoing chipon hands over a sang (measure, scale), and the thram(land register) of Chendebji to the new chipon. The sang has the royal seal of His Majesty Jigme Wangchuck affixed at the end of the measuring rod, and at the base of the weight. This seal was stamped in order to ensure that the chipon do not use a sang of higher weight and value while collecting cereal and
diary products from the people. Togto is another household that enjoys a certain degree of preeminence in the village. Nine lamas have consecutively come from that household. Each of them has served as the Lama of
Wangdue Gonpa under Sephu Gewog, Wangdue Phodrang.
The names of some of them are Asurasu, Tshewang Gyatsho, Gyem Dorji, Phuntsho, Penjor, and the incumbent one, Lam
Jigme Yoezer. It is said that a certain Deb Tsangpa of Tibet arrived in the village seeking military support. It is not known if this incidence is true or against whom and when the support was sought although the mainstream Bhutanese history recounts how Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal fled to Bhutan in 1616 after his deepening rift with Deb Tshangpa.
The Deb also launched military campaigns against the Zhabdrung after his arrival in Bhutan. Local history speaks of the Deb persecuting Buddhist practitioners. The lama of the Nagtshang escaped persecution by reporting to him that he has been stuck in the village without finding any recruits. The
lama of Togto household escaped by saying that he is a Bon practitioner and became a phajo, chief Bon practitioner. Hence, the phajo from this household leads the celebration of the Lha
Bon festival every year during the tenth month. The first phajo was called Phajo Namgay who is believed to have miraculously extracted a water source above the village. This water source is called Phajo Namgay Drubchu. The water is
drained through a pipe into the Drongtoe household. The summer residence of Togto Lama was in Tangjey in Phobjikha valley. He resided in Chendebji in winter. A descendent of the lama now resides permanently in Tangjey. Another unique feature of the village is the small stupa-like monument found in front of every household. These monuments are shrines dedicated to the nagas. A special ritual and festival is observed on the tenth day of the second month every year to honour the nagas. The monuments are then decorated with flowers accompanied by offering of milk. Although the people of Chendbji are Buddhist, a strong
tradition of Bon as reflected in the annual Lhabon celebration prevailed in the village. The Bon culture in fact pervades communities living immediately east of Pelela such as in Longtey, Longmey, Rukubji and Tangsibji. Communities especially of Longtey and Longmey were home to many pawo, shamans who were
staunch Bon practitioners. Oral sources speak of how the conscience of a dead pawo immediately entered a living person as fast as a day after the pawo's death.
The number of pawo in these communities had declined drastically. A distinct aspect of the Bon tradition was the prevalence of animal sacrifices that were integral to certain rituals and festivals. Live sacrifices of roosters,
pig and sheep at different times of the year were done away with only about three years ago in Chendebji, and about fifteen years earlier in Rukubji. These sacrifices were compulsions of tradition although many people
found them contrary to their Buddhist practices. They
devised a system of undertaking sacrificial killing on rotational basis among all the households. The abandonment of animal sacrifices have however, not affected the festivity and general proceedings of the Lha
Bon. The annual Lha Bon is celebrated between the 1st and 25th day
of the tenth month.
Sonam kinga
