Bumthang is one of the 20 dzongkhags (districts) comprising Bhutan. People call it the Switzerland of Bhutan for its lush green landscapes and tropical forests.
The dzongkhag with the highest number of ancient temples and sacred sites is the most historic. The district encompasses the four mountain valleys of Ura, Chumey, Tang, and Chokhor, but people sometimes refer to the whole area as Bumthang valley.
Bumthang means “beautiful field.” Thang refers to a flat place or field, and bum derives from either bumpa (a vessel for holy water) or simply bum (meaning “girl”). People named the valley Bumthang after building Jambay Lhakhang.
Kurje Lhakhang
Kurje Lhakhang, also written as Kurjey Lhakhang or Kurjey Monastery, is located in the Bumthang valley. It is a very important monument in the history of Bhutan. Three temples stand in a row, surrounded by 108 Chortens. Beyond a small ridge, Guru Rimpoche’s spring bubbles up.
Guru Rinpoche, also known as Padmasambhava, visited Bhutan at the invitation of Sendah Gyab, the local ruler. He aimed to defeat evil spirits causing trouble for the people and recover the king’s soul, taken by the guardian deity Shelging Karpo. Guru Rinpoche meditated in Dragmar Dorji Tsegpa cave and left body imprints. Today, the site houses the Kurje Lhakhang temple, known as the Temple of Body Imprint.
There are times travelers are left to wonder if nature has been more kind to Bhutan than to other parts of the world. The small landlocked country has many places that offer you great experiences, breathtaking moments, and amazing views. Beautiful mountains and stunning valleys have a great deal to offer. While nature plays its game at its will in various locations, mankind had been playing its own game. Certain places are rich with manmade monuments and arts, while some have nothing special to boast of in terms of human beings’ contribution. Very few places have the best of everything and Bhutan is one such place.
Marvellous Bhutan will customize your trip with as many interesting places as possible to incorporate into your itinerary depending on your duration of stay in Bhutan.
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