Overview

According to Yodra Tulku Khyentse Wangchuk Rinpoche, Lam Pekar Jamtsho, contemporary of the 9th Je Khenpo of Bhutan, was the first to construct a small temple at Yodra Goenpa. The construction was then effected after he renounced Jangchubling Goenpa to Lam Ngawang Samten Jamtsho. The lhakhang remained in ruins until 20th century when Lama Rinzin who was then one of the disciples of Togden Shacha Shri and an accomplished master came back to Bhutan and resurrected the Goenpa. He according to oral accounts was directed by his master to resurrect his predecessor’s temple at Yodra from where the countless sentient beings could be liberated. Thus Lama Rinzin was believed to be the reincarnation of Choeje Pekar Jamtsho. Before Lama Rinzin constructed the present lhakhang at Yodra, a contemporary Lama Choying Rangdol who constructed Goenpa Kaba Choeling in Khoma was said to have seen rainbow at Yodra Goenpa all the time. Thus he foretold through his clairvoyance that there would be an accomplished Lama at Yodra. Yodra Goenpa in Gangzur Lama Rinzin was one of the descendants of Dungkar Choeje. According to the history, there were two great grandsons of Dreykha namely Choida Jamtsho and Drukdra Namgyel (1735-1762), the reincarnation of Zhabdrung son Jampel Dorji. Similarly, two sons were born to former whereby the younger one married with the daughter of Khochung Lama and settled in Zhamling from where the descendants were born a with noble character. It was stated that one of his descendants even attained rainbow body from Shawa Goenpa. Pema was one of the descendants. As Shawa is far from Lhuentse, he was then ordered by Lhuentse Dzongpoen to settle in Jang area and empowered to have ownership over Ngar area as he was then an astrologer to Lhuentse Dzongpoen. His daughter Tshewang Dolma, who was born in
Ngar, married Sangay of Shingkhar Dung and gave birth to Lam Rinzin, the disciple of Togden Shacha Shri who was an accomplished Buddhist master of the time. After his studies and mastery over Buddhism under the tutelage of Togden Shacha Shri in Tibet, Lam Rinzin returned to Bhutan and established his seat at Yodra. He had two daughters – Seldon and Jamyang. The present Yodra Trulku, the incarnation of Lama Rinzin, is said to have born from Seldon whose lineage to Dungkar Choejee is still not broken.