Paro Rinpung Dzong

PARO RINPUNG DZONG

Paro Rinpung Dzong is a large Drukpa Kagyu Buddhist monastery and fortress in Paro District in Bhutan. It houses the district Monastic Body and government administrative offices of Paro Dzongkhag.

In the fifteenth century local people offered the crag of Hungrel at Paro to Lama Drung Drung Gyal, a descendant of Pajo Drugom Zhigpo. Drung Drung Gyal built a small temple there and later a five storied Dzong or fortress which was known as Hungrel Dzong.

In the seventeenth century, his descendants, the lords of Hungrel, offered this fortress to the Drukpa heirarch Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, in recognition of his religious and temporal authority. In 1644 the Shabdrung dismantled the existing Dzong and laid the foundations of a new Dzong. In 1646 the Dzong was reconsecrated and established as the administrative and monastic center of the western region and it became known as Rinpung Dzong.

A great annual festival or tsechu is held at Rinpung Dzong from the eleventh to the fifteenth day of the second month of the traditional Bhutanese Lunar Calander. At the break of dawn on the morning of the fifteenth day, a great sacred Tongdrol banner depicting the Eight Manifestations of Guru Rinpoche is displayed for the public.

Punakha Dzong

Punakha Dzong was constructed by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal in 1637-38. It is the winter home of Bhutan's Central Monastic Body led by HH the Je Khenpo. The Dzong houses the most sacred relics of the Southern Drukpa Kagyu School including the Rangjung Kasarpani, and the sacred remains of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal and Terton Padma Lingpa. In 1907, Punakha Dzong was the site of the coronation of Ugyen Wangchuck (or Deb Nagpo) as the first King of Bhutan. In 1987, the dzong was partially destroyed by fire.

Due to its location at the confluence of the Pho Chhu and Mo Chhu rivers in the Punakha-Wangdue valley, the Dzong is vulnerable to flash flooding caused by glacier lakes (GLOF). According to a recent report, flash flood damage to Punakha Dzong occurred in 1957, 1960 and 1994.

A covered wooden cantilever bridge crossing the Mo Chhu River was built together with the Dzong in the 17th century. This bridge was washed away by a flash flood in 1957 or 1958. In 2006 work started on a new covered wooden cantilever bridge of traditional construction with a free span of 55 meters which was completed in 2008.

Thimphu Tashichoe Dzong

Thimphu Tashichoedzong

Tashichoedzong is in the Capital city of Bhutan, Thimphu. Tashichoedzong or fortress on the northern edge of the city, on the western bank of the Wang Chu River. It has traditionally been the seat of the Monastrict body and summer capital of the country.

"It was built by the first Religion head, who also founded the Lho-drukpa sect of Buddhism, which has remained the distinctive sect of Bhutan.

The main structure of the whitewashed building is two-storied with three-storied towers at each of the four corners topped by triple-tiered golden roofs. There is also a large central tower or utse.
Tashichoedzong in Winter

The original Thimphu dzong (the Dho-Ngyen Dzong, or Blue Stone Dzong) was built in 1216 by Lama Gyalwa Lhanangpa where Dechen Phodrang now stands above Thimphu. Soon after, Lama Phajo Drukgom Shigpo, who first brought the Drukpa Kagyu lineage to Bhutan, took it over.

It has been the seat of Bhutan's government since 1952 and presently houses the throne room and offices of the king, the secretariat and the ministries of home affairs and finance. Other government departments are housed in buildings nearby. West of the dzong is a small tower of Ney Khang Lhakhang which houses a statue of Shakyamuni Buddha and protective deities. Thimphu Tashi Cho Dzong, the office of the King and the Throne Room and also the Summer Capital of Monastic Body lead by His Holiness the Je Khenpo (Chief Abbot) who spend six months here during summer and move to Punakha for winter for another six months.

In 1641 by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal acquired it from Lama Phajo's descendants, but soon finding it too small, he built another one, known as the lower Dzong for the administration, keeping the older one for the monks. The original dzong was destroyed by fire in 1771 and everything was moved to the lower one which was expanded then, and again by the 13th Druk Desi (1744-1763), and also in 1866. It was damaged during an earthquake in 1897 and rebuilt in 1902. King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck had it completely renovated and enlarged over five years after he moved the capital to Thimpu in 1952 in traditional style using neither nails nor written plans.
Tashichoedzong in 1921

Thimphu National Memorial Chorten

Thimphu: National Memorial Chorten (Stupa)

Thimphu National Memorial Chorten (Stupa) was built in 1874 by the Royal Queen Mother, dedicated to the father of Modern Bhutan, the Late His Majesty King, Jigme Dorji Wangchuck of Bhutan. This Tibetan & Bhutanese Architecture mixed stupa has got three different sects of Buddhism such as Gongdu on the Top Floor, Drukpa Kagyud on the Middle Floor with Second Buddha figures facing the Sun Rise and on the Ground Floor its the Phurba.

Paro - Tiger's Nest "Taktsang"

Tiger’s Nest “TAKTSANG”

Famous Tiger’s Nest “TAKTSANG” Monastery: Hike up which would take Two Hours up and approximately One Hour down. Taktsang is at 2900mts. Great and Magnificent Taktsang where you will be greets by the monks who live there and Special Bhutanese Butter Tea will be served with Snacks. Visit the most important monastery were the Guru Rimpoche was flying on a Flamming Tigress from Singye Dzong in Eastern Bhutan to here and meditated for Three Months and flourishment of Buddhism in Paro started from 8th Century.