History of Chungkhar

The monastery of Chungkhar was built more than a century ago by one of the founding families of Bhutan, from which descends Drubpon Ngawang Tenzin, instigator of the monastery reconstruction project. The history of Chungkhar is intimately linked to the one of this family that cared for it over the generations until today.

The Origins

This History goes back to the family of The King of Tibet Trisong Detsen (740-797), as well as to the King Tri Ralpachen (815-838) and his son Latse Tsan Ma. The latter, fleeing Tibet, settled in Eastern Bhutan, in Tashi Kang Djam Khar village.

At a later time, Tempe Nyima, a renowned scholar who was a successor of Tsangpa Gyare on the throne of Ralung and a disciple of the Omniscient Pema Karpo, came to Bhutan.
He settled for some time in Sherli Khar village where he lived with a nun who was descending from Trisong Detsen. When he set off again, he left a son in the care of his mother. This child, named Tenzin Drukdra, astonishingly resembled him.
Tempe Nyima fathered another son, Seunam Dorje, then renounced the mundane life and became a monk.

At that time, the great Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, son of Tempe Nyima, came to Bhutan. After some researches, he found his brother Tenzin Drukdra who had become a monk.
From that time on, Tenzin Drukdra sticked with Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, the great master who established the Drukpa Lineage - Palden Drukpa Chogle Namgyel - in Bhutan.

The third brother, Seunam Dorje, settled in East Bhutan where he started a family. It is one of his sons, Gyaltsen Wangdu, who founded the estate of Chungkhar which means "Small Castle".

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Creation of Chungkhar Gompa

Gyaltsen Wangdu fathered four sons. One of them, Tenzin Gyalpo, who was a monk, built the monastery - Chungkhar Gompa - near the castle.
Tenzin Gyalpo was a great master of Nyoung-Ne and had many disciples. He gave this specificity to Chungkhar, that from then on became famed and known as the Temple of the Nyoung-Nes.

Tenzin Gyalpo had a son, Yeshe Lhundrup, who preserved this tradition without developping it.

Garab Dorje, son of Yeshe Lhundrup, married Dorje Wangmo, member of the Bang So Tcheu Je family, well-known in Bhutan and descending from Pema Lingpa. Garad Dorje was a great practitionner but, due to a poor health and a large family (3 sons and 2 daughters) to care for, he never found the means to develop a great activity.
Nonetheless, he maintained the tradition of Nyoung-Ne to which attended the 18 villages surrounding Chungkhar. In spite of his efforts, the monastery considerably depleted and progressively fell apart.

Garab Dorje and his wife Dorje Wangmo

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Chungkhar nowadays

Thanks to the Government of Bhutan that brought the roads and the electricity up to Chungkhar, the children of Garab Dorje and Dorje Wangmo were able to renovate the monastery, as a way to honor the memory of their parents.

The first restoration of Chungkhar

In the 90's, Drubpon Ngawang Tenzin, the family's second son and monk from his earliest years, was appointed representative His Holiness Gyalwang in Europe. With the support of generous friends from Europe, he funded the works of a water supply system for the monastery and the 18 neighbouring villages.

Severly damaged by the earthquake of September 2009, the monastery of Chungkhar is nearly in ruins. This precious legacy, deeply linked to the History of Bhutan and finding its roots as far as the Dharma Kings of Tibet, now endures a testing moment. The reconstruction of Chungkhar Gompa will ensure the continuation of a century old and still lively tradition.

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