Places to Visit
Chimi Lhakhang
Chimi Lhakhang or fertility temple located in Punakha.It is on the hillock crossing the rice field and takes nearly 20 minutes to walk.
Chimi Lhakhang or Fertility Temple is located near Lobesa, under Punakha District. It is 2 hours drive from Thimphu. It is on the way to Punakha from Wangdi and Thimphu. It is 10 km from the main town of Punakha. After 30 minutes hike through the agricultural fields of mustards and rice. it stands on a hillock. On the way, you can see prayer flags lined up all along the trail up to Lhakhang. You will following the small stream with loud noise and entering a small village hamlet known as Yowakha. The design and structure look like of Medieval period. The most outstanding of the village with lots of paintings of phalluses on their exterior walls. The legend throwback to Lama Drukpa Kunley who had called the hillock where the monastery exists as the breast of a woman because of its round shape was established in 1499 by Ngawang Choegyel after the site was blessed by the “Divine Madman” Buddhist saint Lama Drukpa Kunley (1455 –1529). He built a Chorten on the site.
Brief History
In the site of Chimi Lhakhang, it is said that Lama Kunley subdued a demon of Dochu La who turned into a Dog. He chased till Dochula area and killed the dog with his magic thunderbolt of wisdom. He subdues the demon at the site close to where the Chorten with black in colour stands before entering the Fertility Temple. You can see the original wooden symbol of phallus that was brought by Lama Drukpa Kunley brought from Tibet. This wooden phallus is decorated with a silver handle and is used to bless people who visit the Lhakhang. People believe women that women who can’t conceive a baby can conceive a baby after visiting and getting blessings from the same wooden phallus to beget children. The tradition at the Chimi Lhakhang is to strike pilgrims on the head with a 10-inch (25 cm) wooden phallus.
Structure and Design
Exterior Design
The Chimi Lhakhang or Fertility temple is of modest size, square in shape with a golden spire on the top. The roof is golden yellow in colour. You can see prayer wheels on the walls of Lhakhang and paint with carved stales of high saints. Near the entrance of the Lhakhang, you can see a small Chorten the demon buried inside the Chorten subdued by Lama Drukpa Kunley. You can also observe sometimes monks residing in the Lhakhang play football nearby.
The prayer hall inside the monastery has tantric paraphernalia, thangkas, bells, drums, horns, dorjis and a kangd. The statue of Lama Drukpa Kunley with monk robe can be seen inside the main temple. You can also see a ceramic statue of his dog Sachi the demon form. Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, Sakyamuni Buddha and Chenresig images can be seen inside. They also make the pilgrimage to get the name of the child to be born.
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