The dream of a pure Dzong, Punakha Dzong, Bhutan

Once, white pigeons scattered all over the sky and a big blue clear sky was above the head, peach trees were full of soothing pretty flowers, and the happy smile was all where in a happy land, history calls it “The Great Spiritual Land, Bhutan” and a blissful palace was made by those happy citizens, called “Punakha Dzong (the palace of great happiness or bliss)”. As a child, who holds his father’s hand from one side and mother’s hand from another side, like an eternal holy child of Bhutan, “Punakha Dzong” is situated at the confluence of the Pho Chhu (father) and Mo Chhu (mother) rivers in the “Punakha–Wangdue” valley. According to the history,the sage “Guru Rinpoche” prophesized that a person named “Namgyal” will arrive at a hill that looks like an elephant”. “Zhamdrup Namgyal” found the peak of the hill, which appeared in the shape of trunk of an elephant as prophesized, and built the dzong in 1637-38.Another historical tale explains how “Zowe Palep”, the architect, had a vision in a dream after the “Zhamdrup Namgya” l ordered him to sleep under a small structure which contained a statue of the Buddha, known as “Dzong Chug (small dzong”). In his dream, prompted by the psychic powers of the “Zhamdrup”, he had a clear vision of a palace for “Guru Rinpoche”. The vision was imprinted on the architect’s mind, enabling him to conceive the plan for the Dzong without putting the vision on paper and to build it. On the basis of the dream vision of the architect, the building of the Dzong was started in 1637 and completed in 1638, at the place where the “Dzong Chug”, had existed.

“Dzong” is supposed to be, a distinctive type of fortress architecture, found in the present and former “Buddhist” kingdoms of the “Himalayas: Bhutan and Tibet”. The architecture is massive in style with towering exterior walls surrounding a complex of courtyards, temples, administrative offices, and monks’ accommodation.

When “Punakha” was the capital, “Punakha Dzong” was the administrative centre and the seat of the “Government of Bhutan” until 1955. It is the second oldest and most majestic dzong in Bhutan as well as one of the purest palace in the pure land of Bhutanese people. For this reason, the wedding of the “King of Bhutan”, “Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck”, and his fiance, “Jetsun Pema”, was held at the “Punakha Dzong” on October 13, 2011. “Punakha” is so called the winter capital of “Bhutan”, so it’s supposed to be a very healthy place to stay in deep winter. Hence, the head of the clergy of “Bhutan” with his entourage of monks spend the winter in this dzong. There is a festival named “Demoche”, a five days festival, also known as “Punakha festival”, held in February/March in this dzong. Citizens from all around the “Bhutan” try to attend this festival. Lot’s of important displays are shown here, like a re-enactment of the “Tibetan invasion of Bhutan” in 1639 where the Tibetans were defeated.Another ritual observed every year at this dzong is called the “Lhenkey Dungchhur”, and is a worship for departed souls.

As a long time backpacker traveler in “Bhutan”, I suggest you guys just close your eyes, and attend your body in front of this Dzong in some sunny day, touch the river’s cold pure water and have a look around you, look at the green fields, green trees, green mountains, I promise you, one sentence will come from a true traveler heart “ My life is blessed because I am here”. Yes, my friends, this Dzong is such a pure place, where mind escapes, heart flows, eyes gaze. Try it and believe it from your true traveler heart.