Overview

Kurje Lhakhang is located 5km away from Jakar Town under Choekhor region. It is one of the most sacred sites in Bumthang as Guru Rinpoche meditated here and left the imprint of his body on a rock. It comprises of three temples; The first building on the right (east) is the oldest and was built on the rock where Guru Rinpoche meditated. Its structure was rebuilt by Minjur Tenpa, in 1652. Below the roof there is a carving of Guru Rinpoche as Garuda subduing the white lion. The upper temple is dedicated to the Past, Present and Future Buddha’s. The lower temple is the holiest because this is the site of a cave containing a rock with the imprint of Guru Rinpoche’s body. The second Temple called the Sampa Lhundrup temple or the Guru temple was built in 1900 by Ugyen Wangchuck, the First King of Bhutan. On the entrance doorway are paintings of the Guardians of the Four Directions and of various local deities who were converted to Buddhism by Guru Rinpoche. Inside the temple is a towering statue of Guru Rinpoche and his eight manifestations. In 1984 under the guidance of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche the third building was built by Ashi Kesang Choden Wangchuck, queen to the third king. On the porch in front of the temple is large wheel of life. There’s a mystic spiral mandala on the side of the entrance. Interior murals illustrate various monastic rules and regulations, including the strict dress codes. She also had the courtyard in front of the three temples paved with stones and built a wall with 108 chortens around the whole complex. Kurje now serves as a very important place of pilgrimage for the Bhutanese as well as the Buddhist from all over the world. Some of the monks from neighboring province, Trongsa dzong spend the summer at Kurje and perform numerous rituals including a Tshechu or festival