Dochula Pass - Featuring The DrukWangyal Stupas and Lhakhang
The Dochula Pass is located at an altitude of 3100 meters above sea level on the Thimphu-Punakha highway, 30 minutes from Thimphu. The name Dochula literally translates to 'Pass of Water and Rocks.' The Pass features the 108(109) Druk Wangyal Chorten, a panoramic view of tallest mountains in Bhutan and the Druk Wangyal Lhakhang, 3 older Stupas can also be seen in the vicinity.
View From the Site
Being located on a mountain Pass, the spot offers a panoramic view of the Himalayas with the following peaks visible on a clear day :-
- Gangkar Phunsum (7570 meters above sea level) - Also the tallest unclimbed mountain in the world.
- Masagang (7194 meters above sea level )
- Tsendagang (6960 meters above sea level )
- Terigang ( 7060 meters above sea level )
- Jejekangphu Gang (7170 meters above sea level )
- Kangphu Gang (7170 meters above sea level )
- Zongphu Gang (7060 meters above sea level )
-The Mani Wall Stupa (Chorten Dangrim) was built by Gongsa Ugyen Wangchuk in 1887 to mark the end of the last civil war in 1885.
-The sertog Stupa was built by Lama Sonam Zangpo for the safety of passerby’s and travelers.
-The Namgyel Khangzang Stupa was built by Gyaltshen Tenzin Rabgye for his elder brother.
The 108 Druk Wangyal Stupas
The 108 Namgyel Khangzang Stupas can be seen grouped together, located on the giant round about on the Thimphu-Punakha highway.
The Namgyal Khangzang Stupas built while the flush out mission was being carried out completed in 2003. Even though the actual number amounts to 108 Stupas there is a total of 109 stupas; the lowest/first layer has 45 stupas, the second/middle layer has 36 stupas and the thrid/ Top layer has 25 stupas all identitical to each other, total to a 108 numbers, a similar but larger one was built later right on the top of the mount to add on to the Druk Wangyal Stupas.
~ The Stupas were built by Her Majesty Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck with contributions from the Armed Forces to commemorate the Bhutanese Success during the 2-day Flush-Out Mission of December 2003 against the Assamese Insurgents camped inside the Bhutanese border. The December 14th & 15th mission had to be carried out because as many as 30 militants camp were built by the ULFA (United Liberation Front of Assam) & Bodo insurgents who terrorized the Indian State of Assam and often caused nuisance for the Bhutanese locals.
The Druk Wangyal Lhakhang
The Druk Wangyal Lhakhang is at a distance of 2-5 minutes up the hill. Druk Wangyal Lhakhang completed in 2008 Summer and marked the 100 years of Bhutanese Monarchy. The Temple is known to have a fusion of contemporary - traditional paintings and 2 shrinces. The highlights are as follows :-
-Painting at the Entrance :-
- Monk with a Laptop computer and an Airplane in Back ground.
-His Majesty and Prince & Princesses in Dakini form
- Traditional painting of the 4 Lokapalas or the four Guardian Kings
- 8 Male Bodhisattavas
The First Shrine features the following highlights :-
- Main Central Figure are statues of Choegyel Namsum ( Guru Padmasambhava, Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel & Buddha Shakyamuni.
- An infinite giant Butter lamp made from 11 KG gold and 50 Kg of Silver carved with the faces of 1st King Gongsa Ugyen wangchuck, 2nd King Jigme Wangchuck, 3rd King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, 1st Je Khenpo Pekar Jungney and 69th Je Khenpo Je Geuden Rinchen along with 8 Lucky Signs at the base.
- 12 Inched 1000 statues of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel
- 2 Elephant Tusks from the elephant which was gifted to His Majesty the 4th Druk Gyalp by the Government of India on his coronation on 2nd of June 1974 who also happened to serendipitously pass away on 17th of December 2006 when the 4th Druk Gyalpo announced of his abdication.
-Paintings of :-
~ Tshelha Namsum / Trinity of Longlife ( Dolkar, Tseypamed & Namgyelma )
~Rigsum Gonpo ( Manjushri , Tseypamed & Vajrapani )
~ 8 armed Avalokitesvara or the Buddha of Compasssion
~ Guru Padmasambhava
~ Terton Pema Linpga
~ paintings of all 5 Monarchs including the father of 1st King, Jigme Namgyel .
The Second Shrine features the following highlights :-
The Second shrine is a Goenkhang or Shrine of the protective deity and features the following ;-
-Statues of :-
~ Marme Daksum ( Marpa Lotsawa, Milarepa & Gonpopo Sonam Rinchen )
~ Tshering Chenga
~ Goen Chambrol Sum ( Mahakali, Mahakala & Jarog Dogchen )
Paintings of :-
~ Goen Chamdrol Sum
~ Local Deity Aup Yaksa