Lungchuzekha Gonpa

Build On: 1755 Category: Temple Address Thimphu

Longzer Gonpa or the 'Radiance of Space' is today known as Lungchusekha or Lungsekha. The monastery was founded by Terton Drukdra Dorji who lived in the first half of the 18th century. He was the contemporary of the 8th Druk Desi (temporal ruler) Druk Rabgye who ruled the country from 1707 to 1719. Since the area was destined as the place to subdue future hindrances for Bhutan, Drugda Dorji contemplated constructing a temple and installing an image of Guru Rinpoche.
Around the same time there lived an iconographer by the name of Phugey. It is said that he had an imprint of a naturally emanated syllable ‘A’ on his thumb and that all the images that he had carved would speak on occasions.
While Terton Drugdra Dorji was considering the construction of a temple, Phugey happened to be on a pilgrimage to the sacred sites in Tshaluna, Thimphu. He had visited the lower and the middle sites and was on his way to the upper site when he met a monk. The monk inquired about his travels and Phugey replied that he was heading for the upper site. The monk said that there was no such site and instead ordered him to leave for Longzer. At this strange occurrence he wondered whether the monk was real or an illusion. To confirm it, he made some offerings and prayed that the monk should once again appear before him if he were indeed real. To his surprise the monk appeared again and told him that Terton Drugda Dorji is at Longzer performing Kurim (prayers) for the welfare of the country and that he is also pondering creating an image of Guru Rinpoche for which Phugey has to go and help him.


Phugey as told went to Longzer and began the construction of the temple. The statue of Guru Rinpoche was enshrined as the main relic. The terton (treasure discoverer) supposedly asked the statue about the destiny of Drukpa Kagyu in Bhutan. The image said that the teachings would flourish when a king would be born in Kashinang after exactly two hundred years. In 1955, His Majesty the fourth king, Jigme Singye Wangchuck was born in Dechenchholing palace built at a place called Kashinang. From this fact one can surmise that Longzer Gonpa was built in 1755.
The construction of the monastery was supported by a patron from Sha Ruebesa in Wangdue Phodrang. The image of Guru was cast facing Sha Ruebesa so that the patron could make daily offerings.

Longzer Gonpa is located on a hill which is two hours uphill walk from Dochula pass under Thimphu Dzongkhag.
Source:
-Druk Ge Ney FB

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