- Address: Jakar, Bhutan
- Foundation date: 7th century
- Founder: Songtsem Gampo
An unusual halo of mysticism and mystery is surrounded by the province of Bumthang in the Kingdom of Bhutan , a small state in the Himalayas. Imbued with the spirit of shamanism and the Tibetan Bon religion, this area will be a real discovery for those who want to learn a completely different side of the world. The idyllic landscape around contributes to inner peace - green gardens, mountains, picturesque fields with rice and buckwheat and crystal clear air leave an indelible impression of a trip to Bumthang. In addition, in its vicinity you can find a lot of Buddhist temples, each of which has similar features, and some kind of individuality and originality. And this article is intended to tell you about one of such sanctuaries - the Jambay-lakhanga.
What is interesting for tourists this temple?
About the mysticism of this monastery can be judged even by his legend. According to ancient legends, once the spread of Buddhism through the territory of the Himalayas and Tibet was prevented by a terrible demoness, covering all the designated territory with his body. So King Songtsen Gampo decided to radically stop this disgrace. He ordered the construction of 108 churches, which are supposedly called to bind the separate parts of the demoness. What is characteristic, 12 of these shrines were built according to the exact calculations of the ruler. Jambay-lakhang and Kiychu-lakhang are part of this group of temples that were built in the territory of Bhutan . All this legend falls on the 7th century, which is considered to be the date of the construction of the monastery.
In general, the Jambay-lakhang is considered to be the oldest temple not only in the vicinity of Bumtang, but throughout the country. At one time the monastery visited Guru Padmasambhava, marking this place as sacral. Here you can see the sculpture of the Buddha Maitreya. In addition, in the monastery are more than one hundred statues of Kalachakra, which in 1887 made the first king of Bhutan. In general, although the monastery is a rather ancient structure, it has survived to a very good state, thanks to repeated restoration and reorganization.
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Festival
Jambei Lakhang is famous for the entire Buddhist world for his festival. Annually in the end of October here five-day festivities are arranged. They are confined to two important events: one of them is the foundation of the temple, another is held in honor of Guru Rinpoche, who is an important person for all Buddhism, because he has developed his tantric direction.
Bhutanese take such holidays very seriously. Every inhabitant considers it his duty to put on traditional clothes and visit the temple. Here, people receive blessing from the worshipers, and can also enjoy watching, and even participating in traditional dances and performances. By the way, be sure to keep in mind that during the festival in Jambay-lakhanga, photo and video shooting is strictly forbidden. Interesting for the weaker sex will also be the fact that on the second day of the festivities the Mevank fire dance is performed, which is designed to heal women from ailments and infertility.
In general, the festival in Jambay-lakhang is considered its main attraction. If you plan to visit this place, then transfer your trip to the end of October. In this case, your trip is guaranteed to be filled with vivid impressions. In addition, just one kilometer from Jambay-lakhanga is another monastery, the Kurjai-lakhang, which serves as the burial place for the first three kings of Bhutan.
How to get there?
In Bhutan, you can travel only by road or by air. Therefore, you can get to Bumtang only by bus or car. To get to the temple itself, you will also have to hire a car, and do some walking on foot.
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