On a windy plateau at the entrance of Tang valley, about 5 kms from the main Jakar-Ura-Mongar highway, the nunnery is made of several buildings: hostels, classrooms, kitchen, temple.

History

In the 15th century, a prophesy was made by Pema Lingpa, known as the patron saint of Bhutan, that one day in the future there would be a great center of learning for women in the center of the sacred Tang Valley. The present 9th Gantey Tulku, as a lineage holder of Pema Lingpa’s teachings, decided to establish a monastic school for nuns at that place and from 2001, nuns settled there living in huts. From 2005, the buildings have ben built by nuns, working alongside workers from a vocational training school in Thimphu and villagers.

Architectural style / school and related art works

Large rammed earth buildings with extensive woodwork in the Bhutanese style.

Social cultural function

The nunnery is a monastic school (shedra) under the purview of the present Gangtey Tulku (b.1955). It houses about 100 nuns between 12 and 70 year of age, who follow the Nyingma Peling tradition and have a 9 year academic cursus.

The nuns also perform prayers and rituals in the nunnery as well as for the villagers.

Small temple looking like a house located on the edge of a meadow besides the village of Gamling on the left side of the Tang river and right below Ogyen Choling.

History

The history of this temple is shrouded in mystery and a legend said it was founded by a lady who came from Tibet and became a nun, hence the name, the “temple of the nun”.

It is likely that the structure is ancient given the small size of the temple and the clay statues which have been repainted twenty years ago and which present some ancient and iconographic features attributed to the Imperial Tibetan period. Moreover the Buddha Vairocana is the main statue, which usually points out to an ancient foundation.

A local story in Bumthang place this temple among the 108 temples which were built by the Tibetan King Songtsen gampo in the 7th century.

The present structure might be from the early 20th century and was restored in the 2000s

Architectural style / school and related art works

The temple is very small and resembles a house.

The clay statues which have been repainted twenty years ago but present some ancient and iconographic features attributed to the Imperial Tibetan period and relate in style to Jampey lhakhang. The Buddha Vairocana (Nampar Nangdzey) is surrounded by Bodhisattvas statues and a statue of Guru Rinpoche.

Social cultural function

Community temple looked after by the village lay-practitioners and community rituals are performed.

The temple is in the middle of the village of Choejam above the village of Kyizum on the left bank of the Tang river and can be reached by a short climb on foot.

History

The place is associated with the great religious treasure discoverer Guru Choewang (1212-1270) who came from Tibet and is said to have discovered texts of the Vajrakila (phurpa) there.

A small structure was built in the 1960s by a Tibetan lama from Eastern Tibet who took the name of Choejam Lama and died in 1999.

Architectural style / school and related art works

The temple looks like a large house with a stone paved courtyard. It has two storeys and a circumambulation path.

Social cultural function

The temple is now looked after by the Choejam lama’s son. Besides conducting rituals for the village community, the lama started a festival in the 10th Bhutanese month and tried to include dances dedicated to Gesar, which are popular in Eastern Tibet. The influence of another Lama who resided for some years in this place in the late 1990s and took the name of Tang rinpoche was important in this endeavour. This lama originally from the region of Golok in Eastern Tibet, was a student of the famous master Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok (1934-.2004) who established the huge Serthar Larung gar monastery (Kham) and established Gesar dances there.

The temple is on the right bank of the Tang river, 10 mns walk from the end of the feeder road and north of the valley

History

The temple was founded in the early 12th century by the Tibetan lama Ngoktoen Choeku Dorje (1036–1102) to whom is also attributed the temple of Takar near Tangbi in the Choekhor valley of Bumthang. He was the principal recipient of the great Marpa’s explanatory lineages. The Ngok branch of the Marpa Kagyu was an independent lineage carried on by his descendants at least up to the time of the 2nd Drukchen Gyalwang Kunga Paljor (1428-1476) when it was integrated to the Drukpa Kagyu school.

Ngoktoen Choeku Dorje followed a prophecy to establish a temple dedicated to Palden Lhamo in.the Southern valleys and the “soul lake” of the deity is believed to be in the nook of a big juniper tree. Large trees Langmashing are all around the temple which got its name from them.

in the 17th c. the Trongsa Penlop Minjur Tenpa visited and linked the temple to the Trongsa dzong Palden Lhamo so the monks of Trongsa came in summer to Langmalung do the appropriate rituals.

The temple was restored in the early 20th century but its history is not documented.

Architectural style / school and related art works

Langmalung resembles a large house. It is a gonkhang, a temple dedicated to the guardian deitiy of Bhutan a form of Palden Lhamo, called Dusoelma. It has impressive paintings on black background.

The main statues are the Buddha, the Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel (1594-1651), and Guru Rinpoche.

Social cultural function

The temple belongs to the Drukpa Kagyupa monk-body and many rituals for the guardian deities of Bhutan are performed there by a caretaker now sent from Jakar dzong.

The founder of the temple is a lama from central Tibet, Namkhai Samdrup, of the Shangpa Kagyu tradition who also founded Ngang Khakhang in the upper Choekhor valley in the 16th century. It was probably restored at the time of the Zhabdrung Sungtrul Chogley Tulku Yeshe Ngodrup (1851-1917) as this Zhabdrung Sungtrul was born in this village.

Architectural style / school and related art works

The temple is a very small stone structure with an enclosed courtyard on its south side.

It contains superb images which can be dated from the construction of the temple (Buddha, Tshepame, Guru Rinpoche) and great masks including the large articulate mask of the Yak Dawala, and those of the two local protectors Goenpo and Goenmo.

Social cultural function

Community temple looked after by a lay caretaker (gomchen). The temple hosts a festival from the 9th to the 11th day of the 10th Bhutanese month.

This three-day annual ritual commemorates the consecration of Namkha lhakhang by Lama Namkha Samdrup, hence the name rabney. It is also performed for the peace and prosperity of the upper Tang valley villages which sponsor it.

While performing the consecration of this temple, Lama Namkha Samdrup saw the Tang local deity Rinchen Gonyak, who is also the cattle deity, coming as a yak and dance in the courtyard. The two other great protective deities Gonmo (Lhamo) and Gonpo join him as they accompanied the lama.

Based on this, Lama Namkha Samdrup instaured the annual event where all the villagers contribute to please the deities. The lama from Thowadra monastery leads the ritual, Thowadra being the residence of the local deity.

The highlights of the festival are the dances of Gonpo, Gonmo (Lhamo), also called Gadpo and Gadmo in Tang and Rinchen Gonyak. These three deities are represented by manneqins wearing huge masks and moved by people. The yak, also simply called Dawala by the villagers, is very popular and his wooden mask has articulate jaws whose clanging is considered a blessing.

Another story says that when Lama Namkha Samdrup was constructing the temple, the local deity (tsomem) of the lake Karbang Tshonag, located above the construction spot, began to create unfavourable conditions. In order to expel the tshomem from the vicinity of the village, he took the form of a yak, the fierce dancing gesture of which threatened the very existence of the tshomem. She left for Zhemgang in the south and the lake in the Buli village under Zhemgang district which presently exists, is said to be the one expelled from Tang valley.

This temple is built at the foot on a cliff or rock which has numerous marks which looks like tiger stripes, hence the name of the temple ‘the one with drawings like a tiger’.

The temple looks like a large house. A smaller house has been built next to it at the beginning of the 21st century for nuns and meditants.

History

Guru Rinpoche in the 8th century is said to have meditated in the cave near the present temple.

The 20th Sombrang lama from Ura went to invite Drubthob Melong Dorje (1243-1303) from Tibet, an important master in the transmission of the Man nagde of the Dzogchen. Grubthob Melong Dorje meditated there before going to teach in Ura.

When he visited Bumthang, the religious master Longchen Rabjam predicted in the middle of the 14th century that a temple would be built on this spot.

At the end of the 14th century, the saint Dorje Lingpa erected a small temple and his close disciple Lama Chogden resided there. His daughter became the first wife of Pema Lingpa. Pema Lingpa discovered a “treasure” in form of vase filled with long life water.

The temple was restored in the middle of the 19th century by one of Dorje Lingpa’s descendants, the Trongsa Penlop, Tshokye Dorje from Tang Ogyenchoeling.

Local belief has it that the deity of the rock attacked Guru in the shape of the tiger and that Guru changed it into a rock. It is also believed Guru’s consort died there.

Architectural style / school and related art works

It contains some beautiful paintings, including a remarkable image of the famous yogi Milarepa (12th century).The paintings also depict the Zangdopelri, the paradise of Guru Rinpoche, Guru and his eight manifestations, the Kagyupa master Gampopa as well as the Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel and the Drupa Kagyu lineage.

The main statue is Guru Rinpoche and his eight manifestations.

A beautiful chorten-gate marks the road which continues to Ogyen Choling and the north of the valley.  

A large rock below the road is said to have a body imprint of Guru Rinpoche and his consort.

Social cultural function

The temple is looked after by a caretaker from the monk-body.

It is an important pilgrimage site for all Bhutanese. Next to the river is a revered burial ground (durtroe).

Thowadra ‘s position is spectacular and similar to Taktsang in the Paro valley. It is made of a main building with overhanging wooden balconies and several smaller buildings as well as in the mountain caves higher up still.

History

According to local tradition, Thowadra was an isolate place for Gelongma Pelmo, the daughter of the Kashmir King Triten gyalpo who had leprosy and was cured there.

It was also blessed by the presence of Guru Rinpoche who came there to meditate. This is where Guru Rinpoche is said to have left behind a wooden bird which he used to expel the king Kyikharatoe from the Khenpajong valley north of Bumthang. Thowadra is also one of the ‘gates’ leading into this secret valley, which was sealed up by Guru Rinpoche after he drove out the king.

The story surrounding Thowadra and the King Kyikharatoe is sad. It is said that Kyikharatoe came from Jelikhar in Choekhor where he had finally settled just to have a look at his beloved Khenpalung from the top of Thowadra mountain. He saw only desolation and out of grief cut down a bamboo to make a flute and played a nostalgic tune. Many places in Tang are associated with this tragic figure.

Thowadra was founded in 1238 by Lorepa (1187-1250), the Drukpa Kagyupa lama who had established Choedrak monastery at another of Guru Rinpoche’s meditation places in the Chume valley of Bumthang.

Pema Trinley (1564-1642), the grand son of Pema Lingpa and first Gantey lineage holder meditated at this place.

A Nyingmapa monastic community was established here at the end of the 18th century by Changchub Gyeltsen (alias Jigme Kundrel), a disciple of the great Tibetan Dzogchen master, Jigme Lingpa (1730-1798). After his death the temple was not looked after but was restored by the Drukpa hierarch Choeje Ngawang Trinley who stayed there in meditation. Choeje Ngawang Trinley also restored Choedrak in Chume, also founded by Lorepa. However one problem is that there are two lamas of the same name in this lineage. The 1st Ngawang Thinley lived 1712-1770 and the 2nd Ngawang Thinley’s dates were 1916-1950, and both were Je Khenpo of Bhutan. It might be the second who restored the temple but this has to be confirmed.

Architectural style / school and related art works

Thowadra is made of a main temple and several small houses scattered above the rock as well as the holy spring of Gelongma Pelmo and the stone throne of Guru Rinpoche.

Social cultural function

Thowadra is a highly regarded pilgrimage place, a place of meditation and also has a small monastic school under the Thowadra Lam; it follows the Longchen Nyinthik tradition of the Nyingma school.

A spring blessed by Guru Rinpoche and Gelongma Pelmo comes out of the rock and is revered by the pilgrims as well as the stones believed to be dakinis’ bath and Guru Rinpoche’s throne.

The bamboos around Thowadra are said to be holy as they would have been brought initially from the great pilgrimage place of Tsari is south-east Tibet. Pilgrims take bamboos from Thowadra as protection.

Apart from Pema Lingpa’s living quarters which are now the gonkhang, the temple of the protective deity Gonpo Maning, the monastery consists of four temples: the main temple with a wooden gallery contains images of Pema Lingpa, Guru Rinpoche and Namkhai Nyingpo, the last two attributed to Pema Lingpa himself; the Wangkhang, in which the principal statue is Avalokiteshvara with a thousand eyes and a thousand hands made by Pema Lingpa; Oezerphug, the meditation cave of Pema Lingpa’s son, Thugse Dawa Gyeltsen (1499-1586) with a holy spring (grubchu) supposed to cure epilepsy and stroke

Higher up from the main buildings is the Khandroma Lhakhang, which contains a gilded copper statue of Pema Lingpa and a copy of the prajanaparamita sutra. It is built at the place where Yeshe Tshogyel, the enlighted consort of Guru has meditated. Nearby is a wooden post embued with the life force of thousands of dakinis, and a chorten built by Thugse Dawa Gyeltsen.

Below the main temple is Pama Lingpa’s meditation cave with a life like statue of himself and his gilded footprint, and besides a stone throne.

History

It is one of the places where Guru Rinpoche meditated, as did his disciple Namkhe Nyingpo, and a little temple is said to have been established there at the end of the eighth century. However, the present site was founded in 1488 by the saint Pema Lingpa who was born close by at Chel, and he made it one of his residences.

Architectural style / school and related art works

There are several stone buildings scattered through the mountain and on the rock face. They are small and look like houses

Kunzangdra has a beautiful collection of woodblocks and several footprints on stones. It also contains superb images in clay and copper (see description above)

The chorten containing the remains of Pema Lingpa ‘s mother is also near the cliff.

Social cultural function

The monastery is now under the care of the Gantey Tulku and has a small monastic school

It is a revered place of pilgrimage and also houses meditation practitioners.

This temple is a small village temple, at the bottom of a rock and is not in very good condition. It is built in front of a cave.

History

The local tradition attributes it to be the hiding place of king Kyika Rathoe who was hiding from Guru rinpoche. From bephug “the hiden cave”, it became pelphug the “accomplished cave”.

Drupthob Melong Dorje (1243-1303), a holder of a branch of the Nyinthig teaching travelled from Central Tibet to Khenpajong and then came to meditate there.

The present structure might have been built in the early 20th century as it contains paintings which are typical of that period but there is no documentation.

Architectural style / school and related art works

Similar to a very small house, it contains a remarkable painting of a wrathful aspect of Guru Rinpoche who repels the enemies and a painting of Dudjom Lingpa (1835–1904), the great Nyingma master and the first Dudjom Rinpoche.

Social cultural function

Community temple looked after by a lay practitioner (gomchen)

This temple is a small village temple, at the bottom of a rock.

History

It might have been built in the early 20th century but there is no documentation.

Architectural style / school and related art works

The temple looks like a house. The wall paintings show interesting and eclectic personalities from different religious schools: Phadampa Sangay and Gyelba Dondrub, both of the Chod religious lineage, Ratna lingpa, Jigme Lingpa, and a Karmapa.

Social cultural function

Community temple looked after by a lay practitioner (gomchen)