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Tali Zangdo Pelri, Nangkor |
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It is a three-storied Lhakhang, which was, constructed with, among others, financial contribution from His Majesty the King and His Holiness the 70th Je Khenpo, Trulku Jigme Choeda, who once headed the Zangtopelri. The lhakhang’s story begins in the early 1960s when Lam Yeshey Pema Thinley built a small monastry in Tali and established its first dratshang.
At that time it had student strength of only 30 monks. Other renowned Buddhist teachers such as Penlopkhen Rinpoche, who came to teach and bless the student in 1967, visited the monastry. Later a winter resident was added for the Tali dratshang in Gelephu.
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ROYAL MANAS PARK |
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The Royal Manas National Park is the 1st protected Area in Bhutan with an area of 1000 sq. km. The Park id designated to protect the habitat of elephants, tigers, leopards and golden languor. In addition there are about 86 mammals, over 350 birds, 900-300 plant species. The park area is stretched over 3 Dzongkhag namely, Zhemgang, Sarpang and Pemagatshel.
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Duenmang Tshachu |
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In the words of Meme Tashi Chojey, he has heard of Tshachu long since but never knew about its history of existence.
It is believed that the Tshachu was initially in a village called Kamjong. In order to prevent visitors, people started dumping waste and even dead bodies of animals, in the Tshachu and later the Tshachu has moved to its present location. The Tshachu is located on the right bank of Mangduechu at the steep foothill of Kamjong, and was widely known as Kheng Tshachu due to its location in the hearth of Kheng region.
A suspension bridge over Mangeduechu connects Gomphu and Tshachu and has eased the people in crossing it. Its name has been slowly changed to Duenmang Tshachu as a route passes through it, leading to Duenmang Village.
The Tshachu is beneficial to various human body ailments like joint pain, skin disease, ulcer, gastric etc. the people believe that the Tshachu as a curative health relieving place. People of all categories from all over the country pay visit to this Tshachu to avail the facility.
The number of people visiting the Tshachu is increasing year by year.
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Phumithang Lhakhang |
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Other than Zhemgang Dratshang, Phumithang Dratshang is the only established Dratshang well supported by Government in the whole of Kheng. New Lhakhang construction has been completed physically and the statue installations were in good progress.
Identification of the site for the Shakhor and toilet constructions were done for execution of the work with the financial assistance of Nu. 1.00 Million from SCF/USA.
The guesthouse and Lam’s Zimchung construction were to be taken up in 10th Five Year Plan if possible.
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Gomphu Lhakhang |
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The Gomphu Lhakhang in Middle Kheng, constructed on an area, which formerly was occupied by a lake, was founded by Lham sacha Yoezer who was the incarnation of Trulku Ganapati. The Lhakhang has jatongpa(scriptures) and Sangay Gi Tshen Bum ( One Thousand names of the Buddhas) written in Gold. The masks paintings in the Lhakhang are said to be the work of the founder himself. Near the Lhakhang is a crematorium, also built by the founder, which is considered very holy all over Zhemgang. A chorten built by a Tibetan lama called Banma to control leeches which infested the village stands nearby.
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History of Zhemgang Dzongkhag |
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The history of Zhemgang Dzong dates back as early as 1163 A.D and was closely associated with famous personality known as Lam Zhang, a Tibetan Drukpa Lam, Drogon Shangkyeme. While no special dates are known either of Lam’s arrival in Bhutan or the construction of monastery, the Lhakhang, which was later built in his memory, took its founder’s name “Zhang” and the mould “Gang”. The present Zhemgang Dzong was however built around 1655 A.D on the site of the hermitage and unlike the present Dzong it had an Utse that was surrounded by Shakor.
The Dzong has six Lhakhangs viz. Goenkhang, Lamai goenkhang, Naib Lhakhang, Guru Lhankhang, Mithrub Lhakhang and Kuenrey Lhakhang. The most sacred is the Goenkhang, which is believed to have been built by Lam Zhang himself. The Naib Lhakhang is dedicated to the Dzong’s deity, Dorji Rabten, who was brought under control and appointed to safeguard the Dzong by Lam Zhang.
Zhemgang Dzongkhag is located in the south central region of Bhutan. It has an area of 2125 km2 approximately. Presently, the Dzongkhag is divided into eight Geogs i.e Bardo, Bjoka, Goshing, Nangkor, Ngangla, Phangkhar, Shingkhar and Trong. For administrative conveniences, Panbang Dungkhag looks after the four southern Geogs.
The Dzongkhag has been traditionally divided into three main parts; Upper, Middle and Lower Kheng.
About 86 percent of total area of Zhemgang Dzongkhag is under forest cover and because of large forest cover; the Dzongkhag is very rich in bio-diversity, with the Manas national Park alone boasting about 22 endangered animal species. The other protected areas are Jigme Singye Wangchuck and Thrumshingla National Park.
Agriculture and animal husbandry are the main sources of livelihood for about 90 percent of Zhemgang people. They cultivate not only on wet and dry lands but Tsheri is a dominant agricultural practice. Upper Kheng coincides with the Chamkhar Chhu valley system and is characterized by high altitudes, remoteness and infertile soils on step slopes. The farming system is this region is, however well established. Middle Kheng, which is the most accessible part of the Dzongkhag, has good irrigation facilities and the people here begun to specialize in farm production aimed at generating cash incomes. Forest management and logging activities are concentrated in this region. The Lower Kheng is characterized be relatively fertile soils but has limited irrigation facilities. Therefore, farming system is largely based on shifting or Tsheri cultivation. However, with the opening of Panbang~ Mathanguri road, cash crop production in the area has gained significant important.
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Buli Tsho |
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According to Meme Tashi Chojey, 96 years old Chopoen Drep of Trong geog, Buli Manmo (deity of the lake) is said to have come from Bumthang. While coming from Bumthang, Buli Manmo took rest on the way. Before reaching Buli, Buli Manmo took shelter in a women’s house in a place called Buli Langbi. The women of the house told her neighbour not to peep or try to look inside her house. Since her house is attached with other building where her neighbours stay, the people were conscious to see what is inside and when they peep through the window or holes of the wall they saw snake on the floor. In the morning a big lake was formed below her house where people started dumping wastes. Slowly Tsho has been moved to the present location, Buli and hence the name Buli Manmo Tsho.
In other story it says that the first Buli Ponpo was the nephew of the deity of the lake Buli Manmo. The lake was formed miraculously on the spot a stranger who, a night before, had asked villagers for hospitality had slept. After the formation of the lake, a farmer’s daughter started behaving in a strange way. On morning she was missing from home and while in search the worried father reached the lake where he found several perfectly made pots (Thro), except for one which had the defective pot and realized that the others had disappeared. The event did portend well for him. He kept the pot and became very rich while his descendents assumed the Buli Ponpo-ship.
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Tama / Buli Lhakhang |
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Pema Lingpa is said to have traveled to the villages of Tama and Berti in Middle Kheng and Buli in Upper Kheng. According to F.Pommaret Pema Lingpa visited Buli twice, once in 1478 and the second time in 1497 AD and founded Tama and Buli Lhakhang. The Tharpa Choeling Lhakhang which is one of the oldest, in Tama Village is build by Pema Lingpa to tame tigers and elephants, which posed dangers to villagers in Tama and adjacent areas.
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Tingkar Nye |
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which is one of the most sacred place in the entire Kheng Region
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