Jakar sacred sites · Sacred sites in Jakar
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Sacred sites in Jakar
Sacred sites in Jakar
Monasteries are referred to by their Dzongkha title of lhakhang or gompa.
Kurje Lhakhang (also Kurjey). One of Bhutan's most sacred monasteries. A body print of Guru Rinpoche is preserved in a cave around which the oldest of the three buildings is built. The original building was constructed in 1652 by Trongsa Penlop, while the latest addition was added by the late Queen Mother Ashi Kesang Wangchuk in 1990. A huge cypress tree (or perhaps a decedent tree) that over hangs the building is said to have grown from Guru Rinpoche's walking stick.
Zangtopelri Lhakhang. Consecrated in 2008, this latest addition to the sacred sites in the area houses a two story high mandala representing Guru Rinpoche's Copper Colored Mountain. Zangtopelri is a short walk from Kuje Lhakhang.
Jambey Lhakhang. One of the 108 monasteries that were miraculously constructed by King Songten Gampo in one night. The monastery is located between Kurjey Lhakang and Jakar Dzong.
Lhodrak Kharchhu Lhakhang This monastery is a more recent addition to the pantheon of monasteries in Jakar and is located above the town. The abbot, Namkhai Nyingpo Rinpoche, is a very highly respected teacher in Bhutan and speaks some English.
Tamshing Gompa. A monastery established in 1501 by the local Buddhist saint Pema Lingpa. The two story building contains some lovely frescoes, and has a very low ceiling (apparently Pema Lingpa was very short!) In addition, there is 500-year-old suit of metal chain made by Pema Lingpa located on the first floor. It is considered auspicious to circumambulate the temple three times with the chain draped over the back and shoulders.
Chakhar Lhakhang (Iron Castle). This small and unassuming temple marks the site of the palace of Sindhu Raja, the Indian monarch who first invited Guru Rimpoche to Bhutan. The original palace was said to be made of iron and nine stories in height. The current building was constructed by Dorji Lingpa in the 14th century.
For information on customs and symbols in Buddhism, see: Sacred sites of the Indian sub-continent
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Jakar Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
