Location

Chungkhar is located at an altitude of 1 700m high in the region of Pemagatshel. In the South-East end of the Himalayan chain, the region is constantly shaken by small seism, imperceptible for the majority of them.
The monastery of Chungkhar is a place of cult and gathering for the inhabitants of the surrounding villages, in particular during the Nyoung-Ne retreats.

Bhutan

It is believed that the name Bhutan is derived from the Sanskrit 'Bhotant', meaning 'the end of Tibet', or from 'Bhu-uttan', meaning 'high land'. The Bhutanese themselves refer to their country as 'Druk Yul', 'The land of the dragon'.

Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, a great Tibetan lama of the Drukpa lineage, arrived in Bhutan in 1616. He introduced the present dual system of religious and secular government.
Once the country unified, Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal established himself as the country's supreme leader and vested civil power in the Druk Desi. The religious affairs were charged to the Dje Khenpo (Chief Abbot of Bhutan).

For two centuries following Shabdrung's demise, the regional governors (Penlops) became increasingly more powerful, intermittently putting the unity of the nation at risk. These troubles ended when an assembly of representatives of the monastic community, civil servants and the people elected the Penlop of Trongsa region, Ugyen Wangchuk, the First King of Bhutan.
The monarchy has thrived ever since. The Fourth King, HM Jigme Singye Wangchuk (1973-2006) and the presently reigning Fifth King, HM Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk (2006-) command the overwhelming support for their people.

back to top ^

 

About the size of Switzerland, the Kingdom of Bhutan is a land-locked country surrounded by mountains.
The sparsely populated Greater Himalayas, bounded to the north by the Tibetan plateau,reach heights of 7300 meters and extend southward to form the fertile valleys of the lesser Himalayas. Moonsoon influences promote dense forestation and alpine growth.

The cultivated central uplands and Himalayan foothills support the majority of the population.
In the south, the Duars (the traditional 18 points of access into Bhutan from the Indian plain) drop sharply into the large tracts of semi-tropical forest, savannah grassland and bamboo jungles.

back to top ^

Pemagatshel dzongkhag

Earlier the entire regions which presently fall under Pemagatshel and Samdrup Jongkhar districts were popularly known as Dungsam. The term is still used both officially and locally. Two oral sources explain the meaning of Dungsam.
According to one source, there are three conch-shaped hills among the mountains surrounding Pemagatshel. In Sharchop dialect, dungkar or dung is a conch, and sam means three.
According to the second source, there was a lake called Dungtsho Karmathang on a hill above the present day Khar. Terton Pema Lingpa (1450-1521) was known to have revealed a ter (a sacred hidden treasure) from Dungtsho Karmathang. Later when the lake dried up, humans settled there, and they came to be called Dungtshopa – the people of Dungtsho. Dungsampa is the corrupted form of Dungsapa; Dungsapa itself being the corruption of Dungtshopa.

Dungsam was well-known as a trade route to India for the people of eastern Bhutan. From the time of Shabdrung, it was recognized as one gateways to Bhutan: Shar Dungsamkha.
Until 1970, Pemagatshel and Samdrup Jongkhar were known as Dungsam Khoi Dung and Dungsam Kothri respectively. It was His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche who thus christened the two districts.

Pemagatshel is characterized by highly dissected mountain ranges, steep slopes and narrow valleys with little flat land. The elevation in the dzongkhag ranges from 1,000 meters to 3,500 meters above the sea level. Rugged terrain and scattered settlements make the delivery of services in the dzongkhag both difficult as well as expensive.
Although there is a good amount of arable land and a potential for further development in some places, the lack of water sources for irrigation and extensive wildlife crop depredation are restraints to this development.

back to top ^