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Bhutan
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Tashichhodzong
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| Tashichhodzong
was built in 1641 by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal and
reconstructed in 1962, by the Late King, His Majesty, King
Jigme Dorji Wangchuck. While other governments around the
world ensconce themselves in fortresses of stone and steel,
the seat of Bhutan's Royal Government is in a building that
mirrors the county's culture and its people. |
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The
Taschichho Dzong was built in the late 1700's and also serves
as the home of the Central Monastic Body. The building we see
today is largely a modern affair, built in 1962 when His
Majesty Jigme Dorji Wangchuk moved the government to Thimphu
after a fire at its original location. |
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With
the consecration of a newly built Neten Chudrug (16 Arhats)
Thongdroel by His Holiness the Je Khenpo on
February 20, 2002 an invaluable religious treasure has been
added to Trashichhodzong. |
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Measuring
43 by 64 ft, the Thongdroel depicting the Buddha Shakyamuni,
surrounded by his 16 followers (Arhats), was created
under His Holiness' initiative. His Holiness also contributed
Nu. 1.6 million to construct the Thongdroel which took six
months of meticulous and painstaking work for 13 artists. It
will be unfurled to the public annually on the 15th day of the
4th month of the Bhutanese calendar, coinciding with the Duechhen
Ngazom (Lord Buddha's Mahaparinirvana) celebration.
"The success of creating this unique masterpiece
goes to the concerted efforts of embroidery master, Lopon
Ugyen, and his artists who put long hours into the making of
the Thongdroel," said the deputy secretary of the
Dratshang Lhentshog, Ngawang Phuntsho. "If we did
not put in extra efforts it would have taken at least a year
or so," Lopon Ugyen, who built more than 14 various
Thongdroels over the years, said. |
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The
need for the Neten Chudrug Thongdroel was felt when His
Holiness initiated a special prayer ceremony last year as an
annual event on the sacred occasion of Lord Buddha's
Mahaparinirvana which is celebrated all over the Buddhist
world. "Since we do not have this Thongdroel in
Trashichhodzong we had to hire and bring the Sangay Tsokhorsum
Thongdroel all the way from Dagana dzong during the
celebration of Duechhen Ngazom last year," Ngawang
Phuntsho said. According to religious beliefs, a mere
sight of thongdroel liberates sentient beings from the
transmigratory existence through its great cleansing power. |
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Trongsa Dzong
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| Built
463 years ago, the dzong's street-like
corridors, wide stone stairs, beautiful flagstone
courtyards and sacred temples have been witness to
many significant events that have shaped Bhutanese
history since the 16th century. |
| Trongsa
Dzong today
represents an important link with Bhutan's precious
institution of monarchy. |
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"The
Trongsa dzong is a symbol of Bhutan's rich cultural and
religious heritage which we have inherited from our
forefathers and the announcement that efforts would be made to
preserve and restore was a source of great joy to us,"
said the Trongsa chimi. |
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Now
we can pass on the legacy to the future generations of
Bhutanese who can also look on it with equal pride."
Karma of Korphu said that the people of Trongsa saw the
renovation as an opportunity to contribute in any way they
could to preserving a part of Bhutanese history. "We, the
people of Trongsa, are ready to assist in any way we can to
ensure that the dzong stands for many more centuries," he
said. "It is a monument that the people of Trongsa are
proud to have." |
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Tashi
Dorji of Drakteng geog said that the renovations were timely
in that the government had taken the initiative to restore the
dzong before any major irreversible damages could occur.
"The Trongsa dzong is a precious historical monument and
if anything were to happen to it, it will be a great loss not
only to the dzongkhag but also to the nation as a whole,"
he said. |
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The
Trongsa dzongda, Dasho Dophu Tshering, said that the
preservation of the Trongsa dzong was important to the
dzongkhag and the entire country.
"The Trongsa dzong is of national significance because it
is where the institution of monarchy in Bhutan began," he
said. "The dzong is also one of the largest structures
measuring about 227 meters and is home to the second largest
monastic body in the country." |
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Dechen Dzong
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| Zhemgang
dzongkhag
derives its name from a 12th century monastery built by Lam Zhang
Dorji Dragpa, a scholar-sage of Drukpa Kagyud School according
to a Bhutanese researcher. The Dechen Yantse dzong, in 1980,
stands on the site where Lam Zhang built a monastery in
12th century The monastery was named "Zhangang" or
immeasurable mound based on the name of the founder who
visited Bhutan from Zhamling in Tibet in his mission to
propagate Buddhism. |
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then called as Khengrig Namsum in olden times derived its name
from Zhangang, different pronunciation changed the name into
Zhemgang," the researcher at the national library said. |
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monastery, which was later rebuilt as a dzong in the
17thcentury had a significant role in the evolution and
shaping of the history of Khengrig Namsum. It has
witnessed the major events of triumphs and blunders, withstood
intrigues, a sacrilegious murder and cruel jolts of nature in
the history of Zhemgang. |
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Taktshang Monastery
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| After
Guru Rinpoche departed from Bhutan, Langchen Pelkyi
Singye returned to Taktshang to meditate. After he passed
away in Nepal, Pelkyi Singye's Kudung was brought back to
Taktshang by his assistant Damchen Dorji Legpa. Today,
the Kudung of his principal disciple, Langchen Pelkyi
Singye, lies in the Pelphug. The sanctity of
Taktshang was strengthened, over the years, by a number of
saints who meditated in the cave. |
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| In
the 11th century, Mila Repa (1052-1135), the
Yogi and the disciple of Marpa, is said to have
meditated at Taktshang. Here, he composed his famous song, the
exposition of Ten Signs (Tag Chu) of yogic attainment. |
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the 12th century, Mahasiddha Pha Dampa Sangye, the
famous Indian saint who introduced the Chod system in Tibet,
visited Taktshang. His disciple, the famous yogini Machig
Labdron, is said to have left a foot-print on a rock at
Taktshang known today as Machigphug. |
| In
the 16th century, Terton Pema Lingpa discovered
the religious texts of "Kuenzang Yathig" and
"Kagyed Yangsang Lamed" after intense
meditation in Taktshang. Other saints like Machig Labdron
and Terton Lethro Lingpa also meditated in the Taktshang
cave. Religious pilgrims to Taktshang throughout Bhutanese
history include successive Je Khenpos including the late Geshe
Geduen Rinchhen who was born in a cave near Taktshang. |
| Taktshang
saw significant development as a monastic site in the 17th
century when Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel took over
its custody. The plan to build a lhakhang at Taktshang was
originally that of Zhabdrung himself. It was at Taktshang,
during the Tibetan war of 1644/46, that he and his Tibetan
Nyingmapa teacher, Terton Rigdzin Nyingpo, first performed
the ritual associated with the Tshechu, invoking Padma
Sambhava and the protective deities to achieve victory
over the invading armies. In a meditative vision at that
moment, the local deity of Taktshang came to the Zhabdrung
in the form of a black man and offered Taktshang to him,
saying that if he took it, he would ensure that no one could
ever steal it. As it turned out, Bhutan's success in the war
became a defining moment in the country's history, but the Zhabdrung
was never able to carry out his plan to build the celebratory
lhakhang. |
| Between
1961 and 1965, the monastery was renovated by the 34th
Je Khenpo, Shedrup Yoezer. The latest additions were made
in 1982. The Lam Neten of Paro said that the
reconstruction of the Taktshang Monastery, during the
reign of His Majesty King Jigme Singye Wangchuck, was
not just an important event in the history of Bhutan but it
was an invaluable contribution to the preservation, teaching,
and strengthening of Buddhism, one of the world's great
religions. |
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