Jambay Lhakhang

Jambay Lhakhang is traditionally attributed to Songtsen Gampo in the seventh century, part of the same set of temples as Kyichu in Paro, built to subdue a demoness spread across the Himalaya; this one is said to pin her left knee. The main shrine holds a Maitreya, the Buddha of the future, and there is a set of three stone steps representing past, present and future ages, with the belief that the temple will sink as the ages pass. The building has been extended over the centuries. Its best-known event is the Jambay Lhakhang Drup in autumn, which includes the Mewang fire ceremony, when people run beneath a burning gate for purification, and a naked dance performed at midnight, both of which draw large crowds.

What you actually see

• The old shrine - one of the country's earliest temple foundations.
• The Maitreya image - the future Buddha in the main sanctum.
• The three stone steps - the marker of the passing ages.
• The autumn Drup - the fire ceremony and midnight dance.

When to go

March to May and September to November. The Jambay Lhakhang Drup falls in October or November on lunar dates and is the reason many people time a Bumthang visit; accommodation books out well ahead.

Honest expectations

The temple is small and the interior dark; photography inside is forbidden. During the Drup the crowds are very large and the midnight dance is attended by thousands. Outside the festival the visit takes under an hour.

Nearby

Kurjey Lhakhang is a short walk north; Jakar Dzong lies south.