Tachog Lhakhang

Near the new-age highway, connecting Paro to Thimphu, and aside the tranquil Pachu River lies the ancient Tachog Lhakhang. Situated at the base of the mountain the only possible way to approach the glorious structure is on foot, over the newly constructed cantilever bridge which spans the gorge and river below.

In the 14^th century a renowned bridge builder named Dupthob (siddha) Thangtong Gyalpo came to Bhutan at the request of the deities Ap Chundu and Jowodarkey, of the Ha and Paro valleys respectively.  Upon arriving at the area where he had been summoned, Thangtong Gyalpo sought solitude and began his meditation which would last for seven days.  During the course of his meditation, he experienced visions which would inevitably inspire him to build a temple and bestow upon it the name of Tachog Lhakhang.

When his meditation had come to an end, Thangtong Gyalpo came back to reunite with the outside world, and his first social embrace was that of a woman who seemed to possess the signs of a wise, celestial being.  The meeting between the two was short lived, as Thangtong Gyalpo simply gave her three pills and blessed the woman before his departure.  Soon after this event, the lady gave birth to a son, Dewa Zangpo, the “heart son” of Thangtong Gyalpo. Thangtong Gyalpo never did build the temple with his own two hands. But with a simple gesture and gift to an extraordinary woman, he in turn assured the temple’s construction as Dewa Zangpo (who would become one of the seven disciples of Thangtong Gyalpo) was indeed the man who constructed the Tachog Lhakhang.

Dewa Zangpo was not simply an important architect, but also established the lineage of the Tachog Chojie, the descendants of which live close by the temple today.  It is believed that the temple was renovated in the late 17^th century during the reign of the 4^th Desi.  In 1980 the temple suffered minor damage due to an earthquake.  Today the temple is taken care of by the Tachog Chojie families.

The main relics of the temple include a statue of Lord Buddha Sakyamuni, Guru Rinpoche, a set of Kanjur (the translated words of Buddha) and Tenjur (the translated commentaries on the words of Buddha), Za Rahula (Planetary Deities), Chenrizig (Avaloketeshvara), Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, Thugse Dewa Zangpo, Lam Jampal Loday, Chana Dorji (Vajrapani) and walking sticks of Thangtong Gyalpo and Lam Jampel Loday.

Some of the important festivals and rituals observed are the Bum De (regular ritual conducted during waning and waxing moon days) inside the chapel conducted from the 13^th to the 15^th day of the 3^rd month of the Bhutanese calendar. They also conduct Kuchoe (death anniversary ritual) of Dewa Zangpo annually on the 1^st day of the 9^th month. Monthly mask dances are also performed besides reading of the scriptures (Kanjur and Tenjur) of Lord Buddha once a year.