Dumtseg Lhakhang

Dumtseg Lhakhang was built in 1421, or by other accounts 1433, by Thangtong Gyalpo, the Tibetan engineer-saint who built iron chain bridges across the Himalaya, and it is unusual in form: a temple shaped as a chorten, three storeys rising in a tapering tower, which is rare in Bhutan. The interest is entirely inside. The three floors carry a painted programme that ascends in sequence, from the wrathful protective deities on the ground floor through bodhisattvas to the enlightened forms above, so that climbing the internal stairs moves through a doctrinal progression. The paintings are considered among the finest in the country. The interior is very dark and a torch is needed; photography is not permitted, and the building is often locked with the key held nearby.

History

The Tibetan lama Thangtong Gyalpo, 1385-1464, also called Chagzampa and remembered for building some eight iron bridges in Bhutan, built the temple in 1421, or by other accounts 1433, in the form of a chorten, a shape said to pin down demons and proclaim the victory of Buddhism. In 1841 the 25th Je Khenpo, Sherab Gyeltsen, restored it with the help of local villagers, thanking the donors by carving their names on the tree trunks that form the columns of the ground floor (Wikipedia, Jangtsa Dumtseg Lhakhang).

What to look for

• The chorten-form temple - a tapering tower rather than a hall.
• Three painted floors - a tantric progression ascending the building.
• Wrathful deities - the protective figures on the ground floor.
• Thangtong Gyalpo's work - a building by the iron-bridge saint.

When to go

March to May and September to November for the valley. The temple is often locked, so access needs a guide who can arrange the key; this is not somewhere to turn up at independently.

Things to know

It is very dark inside and the paintings need a torch and time for the eyes to adjust. Photography is forbidden. The building may be closed with no notice. The stairs are steep and narrow. The visit is short but rewards knowing what the sequence means.

Nearby

Paro town lies east; Tachog Lhakhang is on the road toward Thimphu.

Key facts