Holy Pleaces in Bumthang Places in Bhutan
Holy Pleaces in Bumthang
Jampa Lhakhang : Jampa Lhakhang is one of the oldest Lhakhang (Monastery) in Bhutan. It was built in 659 A.D. by Tibetan king Songtsen Gampo to pin down the left knee of a giant ogress whose body lay across the Himalayas. The Kencho Sum Lhakhang : The Kencho Sum Lhakhang was originally built in the […]
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Jampa Lhakhang : Jampa Lhakhang is one of the oldest Lhakhang (Monastery) in Bhutan. It was built in 659 A.D. by Tibetan king Songtsen Gampo to pin down the left knee of a giant ogress whose body lay across the Himalayas.
The Kencho Sum Lhakhang : The Kencho Sum Lhakhang was originally built in the 7th century but later restored by Terton Pema Lingpa in 15th century. The three sacred Buddha statues which grace the lhakhang’s main shrine are said to have miraculously flown there from Khini in Kurtoe, a region further east of Bhutan.
The Lhodrak Karchu Dratshang : The Lhodrak Karchu Dratshang was built by Namkhai Nyingpo and is located on a forest slope overlooking Chamkhar town.
Tak Rimochen : Tak Rimochen takes its name from the vertical tiger-stripes like print on the face of the cliff where Guru Padmasambhava is said to have meditated in the 8th century A.D.
Tharpaling Goemba : Tharpaling Geomba was established by the great Dzogchen master, Longchen Rabjampa during 15th century, in Chumey valley which is one of the main seats of the Nyingmapa school of Buddhism.
Kurjey Lhakhang : Kurjey Lhakhang is an important place of pilgrimage for most devout Buddhist as it was built around rock on which Guru Padmasambhava left an imprint of his body while meditating there in the 8th century. The name Kurjey means sacred body imprint. The rock around which the temple grew came to be known as Dragmar Dorje Tshengpa (The red clieff of the Diamond of long life). Ashi Kesang Wangmo Wangchuck built a wall with 108 choetens around the complex in 1984.
Choejedrak Lhakhang : Choejedrak Lhakhang is among the many holy sites that was identified and blessed by Guru Padmasambhava. According legend, Guru came on a flying tigress and left remarkable imprints in the rocks that one can see a cubit length footprints of the Guru, and the footprints of the legendary flying tigress that the Guru rode to Choejedrak from Taktshang in Paro in the fearsome form of Dorji Drolo, one of his eight sacred manifestations. The temple we see today was founded by gyalwa Lolaypa in the 12th century. One of the most treasured relics at Choejedrak is the skull of one of the Guru’s consorts.
Tamzhing Lhakhang : Tamzhing Lhakhang was founded by one of the foremost of Tertons (Treasure Reavelers : Saint who were inspired by sacred visions, they unearth and interpret sacred spiritual texts and relics hidden by Guru in 8th century), Terton Pema Lingpa, in the year 1501 A.D. Later the temple became the seat of the successive sungtruls or “speech reincarnation” of terton Pema Lingpa. The armoury in the temple, also cast by terton Pema Lingpa, is a testimony of the saint’s renowned skill as a black-smith. Inside Tamzhing, one also comes across wall paintings by Pema Lingpa, and a throne that he built.
Thukten Shedrup Dargay Choling Goemba : Thukten Shedrup Dargay Choling Goemba was co-founded by Dasho Gonpo Dorji and Doring Trulku Jamyang Kunzang the third mind reincarnation of the Terton Jigme Lingpa, in 1935. The Temple serves as a Sheydra (Monastic School) as well as a Drubda (Meditation center).
Dechenphodrang Temple : Terton Dorji Lingpa built the Dechenphodrang Temple over the ruins of the ancient Chakhar Lhakhang, which was once a colossal nine-storied castle built by many layers of metal. While no remains of the original castle built by the king of Chakhar, or Sindhu Raja, are evident today, echoes of its old ties to the Chakhar Gyalpo (king) linger in the fact that the sacred termas or “spiritual treasures” in the Dechenphodrang Temple are dedicated to Trashi Kheudron , his daughter, who is also reverted as one of the Guru Padmasambhava’s mystical consorts.
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