During my visit (2nd April) to Kurjey Lhakhang in Bumthang, I was struck by the profound sense of timeless sanctity that envelops the entire valley. Revered as one of Bhutan’s most sacred sites, Kurjey is not only the first spiritual foundation laid by Guru Rinpoche in Bumthang but also a living testament to his miraculous deeds. Its historical roots trace back to the Iron Tiger Year, 810 AD, when the site became the theatre of Guru Rinpoche’s subjugation of powerful local deities and the restoration of King Sindhu Raja’s life.
๐๐ถ๐๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น ๐ข๐ฟ๐ถ๐ด๐ถ๐ป๐: ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ณ๐น๐ถ๐ฐ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ ๐๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป
According to oral history, King Sindhu Raja of Bumthang had engaged in a dispute with a southern king named Naochhe or “Big Nose.” Before sending his son, Taklamebar, and the army into battle, Sindhu Raja fervently prayed to local deities for protection. Tragically, Taklamebar was slain, and the enraged king blamed the local protectors for the loss.
His anger turned especially toward Shelging Karpo, the chief local deity. In retaliation, he ordered the destruction of sacred sites, provoking Shelging Karpo to seize the king’s life force. The king grew severely ill, and despite numerous attempts by astrologers and healers, no cure could be found. One of his ministers then advised inviting Guru Padmasambhava, already renowned across the Himalayas for his spiritual prowess.
๐๐ฟ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐น ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐๐ฟ๐ ๐ฅ๐ถ๐ป๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐๐ฏ๐ท๐๐ด๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฆ๐ต๐ฒ๐น๐ด๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฝ๐ผ
Guru Rinpoche travelled from Nepal, entering Bhutan through Nabji-Korphu in Trongsa. Upon reaching Bumthang, he discovered the depth of spiritual disarray. For three months, Guru Rinpoche meditated in the Red Cliff Cave, ultimately leaving behind his kur-jey, or body imprint, on the rock—thus giving the site its sacred name, Kurjey.
During this meditative retreat, his consort Khandro Yeshe Tsogyal supported him with household responsibilities and ritual preparations. In the process, Guru Rinpoche pierced through the Vajra Piled Red Cave, shaking the palace of Lui Gyalpo Pemachen, the Naga King.
Recognizing the divine nature of the event, the Naga King humbly offered service. Guru Rinpoche requested the “Chhu Drowa Drenpa”, an elixir composed of nine kinds of sacred waters. On the seventh day, Guru instructed Khandro to collect the holy water at a sacred spot. At the destined moment, five Dakinis appeared alongside Khandro, affirming the spiritual magnitude of the event.
๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐ ๐ถ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐น๐ผ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ต๐ผ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐ฆ๐๐ฏ๐ท๐๐ด๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป
While Khandro was away, Guru Rinpoche transformed into his Eight Manifestations, performing a sacred dance that drew all local deities to witness. But Shelging Karpo, still defiant, stayed hidden. When Khandro returned with the golden container (Gahta) of holy water, the first rays of sunlight reflected off it, illuminating the land with rainbow light. The energy drew out Shelging Karpo, who emerged as a lion to observe.
In that instant, Guru Rinpoche transformed into a Garuda (Jachung) and seized Shelging Karpo, declaring,
“๐๐ค๐ช, ๐๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐ง๐ฅ๐ค, ๐ฌ๐๐ค ๐จ๐ฉ๐ค๐ก๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ก๐๐๐ ๐ค๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ช ๐๐๐๐, ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฃ๐ค๐ฌ ๐๐ฃ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ก๐๐ฌ๐จ ๐ค๐ ๐๐ช๐ง๐ช ๐๐๐ข๐ ๐
๐ช๐ฃ๐๐ฃ๐๐ฎ.”
Overwhelmed, Shelging Karpo surrendered. Guru’s intense spiritual force sealed his cave, leaving behind his clear footprints on the rock. Witnessed by assembled spirits and deities, the event marked a complete spiritual transformation of the region.
Guru and Khandro then rushed to Chagkhar Palace, where the dying king lay. Guru opened the king’s skin, breathed in the stolen life force, and poured the holy water into his mouth. The spider symbolizing the captured soul dissolved, and the king was instantly healed.
๐ฆ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐๐ฎ๐น ๐ฆ๐ถ๐ด๐ป๐ถ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฃ๐ถ๐น๐ด๐ฟ๐ถ๐บ๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐ด๐ฎ๐ฐ๐
The importance of Kurjey Lhakhang extends beyond this miraculous event. Kunkhyen Longchen Rabjam once proclaimed,
“๐๐ซ๐๐ฃ ๐ ๐จ๐๐ฃ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ก๐๐ข๐ฅ๐จ๐ ๐ค๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ค๐๐ฎ ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ง๐๐ฃ๐ฉ ๐ค๐ ๐๐ช๐ง๐ช ๐๐๐ฃ๐ฅ๐ค๐๐๐ ๐๐ก๐ค๐จ๐๐จ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ค๐ค๐ง ๐ฉ๐ค ๐ก๐ค๐ฌ๐๐ง ๐ง๐๐๐๐ง๐ฉ๐๐จ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฅ๐ก๐๐๐๐จ ๐ค๐ฃ๐ ๐ค๐ฃ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ฉ๐ ๐ค๐ ๐ก๐๐๐๐ง๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ.”
It is said that even the grasses at Kurjey bear self-arising mantra syllables, a belief echoed in the words of Lama Drukpa Kunley, who humorously noted,
“๐๐๐๐ง๐’๐จ ๐ฃ๐ค ๐ฅ๐ก๐๐๐ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐ง๐๐ก๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐ข๐ฎ๐จ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ง๐. ๐๐ซ๐๐ฃ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ง๐๐จ๐จ ๐๐๐๐ง๐จ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ก๐ก๐๐๐ก๐ ๐ผ๐.”
Kurjey is considered the most sacred of Guru Rinpoche’s sites in Bumthang. Here, he subdued deities, healed a king, and left behind a tangible spiritual imprint for the benefit of all sentient beings. The temple built around the site stands as a monument of that legacy.
๐๐ผ๐ต๐ป ๐๐น๐ฎ๐๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ช๐ต๐ถ๐๐ฒ’๐ ๐๐ฒ๐๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฝ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐๐ฟ๐ท๐ฒ๐.
In 1905, John Claude White, the British Political Officer in Sikkim, visited Kurjey Lhakhang and photographed its sacred interior, capturing a rare glimpse into one of Bhutan’s most revered temples. In his observations, he described Kurjey Lhakhang as:
“Kurjey Lakhang is one of the most sacred temples in Bhutan because it enshrines the body print of the great 8th century Buddhist sage Padmasambhava, known in Bhutan as Guru Rinpoche or ‘precious teacher’. He was an adept in Tantric Buddhism from the Swat Valley (now in Pakistan), and was instrumental in founding the first Tibetan Buddhist monastery at Samye (777–779 AD), south central Tibet. He had a huge impact on the religious future of Bhutan and the Nyingmapa religious school he founded is still a powerful force in central and eastern Bhutan.
It is said that he came to Bumthang in the mid-8th century and meditated, leaving a jey (imprint) of his kur (body) in the rock. This is preserved in a cave in the oldest of the three buildings which make up the temple-cum-monastery complex.” Refer the image taken by him.
Today, Kurjey Lhakhang not only houses the sacred body imprint but also serves as the final resting place of Bhutan’s first three Kings, adding to its historical reverence.
๐๐๐ฟ๐ท๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ธ๐ต๐ฎ๐ป๐ด ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐ฝ๐น๐ฒ๐
The Kurjey Lhakhang complex is composed of three temples, each with its own rich spiritual story:
1. Guru Lhakhang, the oldest structure, originally built in 1652 by Chogyal Minjur Tempa, enshrines the sacred cave. Behind a majestic statue of Guru Rinpoche is the very rock where his body imprint remains. Crawling through the narrow passage below, believed to cleanse one’s sins, I was reminded of the deep symbolism of humility and rebirth. The upper sanctum houses the eight manifestations of the Guru, alongside statues of Buddhas from the past, present, and future.
2. Sampa Lhundrup Lhakhang, constructed in 1900 by Gongsa Ugyen Wangchuck, Bhutan’s first King, holds a towering statue of Guru Rinpoche in his peaceful form. Murals of guardian deities and cosmic symbols grace the walls, telling timeless stories of protection and awakening.
3. The most recent addition, Ka-Gong-Phur-Sum Lhakhang, was built in 1984 under the vision of Her Majesty Ashi Kesang Choden Wangchuck and guidance of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. It is a tantric sanctuary representing the three cycles of teachings—Kagye, Gongdue, and Phurpa. A 34-foot statue of Palchen Heruka, surrounded by intricate depictions of Yidams and guardians, rises across three levels—a breathtaking embodiment of the Vajrayana path.
Outside the temples stands a tall cypress tree, believed to have grown from Guru Rinpoche’s walking staff. This tree, protected by the deity Shelging Karpo, is a living symbol of the Guru’s enduring presence in Bhutan. The tree is 1201 years old.
Not far above the temple is the sacred Kurjey Drupchhu—a spring that Guru Rinpoche is said to have summoned with his spiritual power. Pilgrims drink from it for blessings, healing, and inner purification.
Every year, the temple comes alive during the Kurjey Tshechu, held on the 10th day of the 5th Bhutanese month. It is a celebration of the Guru’s birth and legacy, with sacred mask dances and the unfurling of the grand Guru Thongdroel. Another sacred ritual, the Kagye Drubchen, is held annually in the 4th month—an intensive practice of the eight Heruka deities, deeply rooted in Bhutan’s tantric tradition.
Walking through Kurjey, I was filled with awe and gratitude. The quiet chants, the flicker of butter lamps, the scent of incense, and the weight of centuries of devotion made it more than a visit—it was a spiritual homecoming. Preformed Guru Rinpoche Mantra Mudra and connected to the sacred place.
If you ever journey to Bumthang, make time for Kurjey. Even the winds seem to whisper mantras here, and every stone tells a sacred story.
