Wangdue Phodrang Dzong
| Wangdue Phodrang Dzong | |
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| Photo by Stefan Krasowski (CC BY 2.0 Deed) | |
| Type: | Tibetan Buddhist Temple |
| Country: |  |
| Establishment: | 1639 |
Wangdue Phodrang Dzong (Dzongkha: དབང་འདུས་ཕོ་བྲང་རྫོང་) is a Buddhist temple located in western Bhutan. It was built during the process of national unification, additionally it has important religious elements for Bhutanese Buddhism.
History
The Dzong is located between the rivers Puna Thsang Chu, also known as Sankosh in the Indian State of Assam and Tang Chuu.[1]
The building was built in the 1630s to control the region around Wangdue Phodrang in order to unify Bhutan under the reign of Ngawang Namgyal.[2] The Wangdue Phodrang Dzong along with other Bhutanese religious buildings also known as Lhakhang preserve Chador statues, which are rare relics found by Pema Lingpa, an important figure for Tibetan Buddhism in the country.[3]
The first records of the existence of the Dzong outside Bhutan were described in several notes and drawings made by diplomats of the East India Company, explaining in detail about the absence of Utse, the main tower of the Dzong, but still containing commemorative decorations such as a gyaltshen, a banner used to represent victory.[4]
In 1837, the building was partially destroyed by fire and later the Dzong was affected by the 1897 Assam Earthquake.[5] The Dzong was partially destroyed due to a fire caused in June 2012, about N392.50 million had to be allocated along with support from the Government of India, in 2016, repairs were completed at Kuenrey, the Assembly Hall of the Dzong.[6]
In May 2018, the main tower of the Dzong also known as Utse in Bhutanese Architecture, was added a Sertog, which is a type of decorative pinnacle characterized by golden colors.[7] In September 2023, the first Tshechu, a native Bhutanese religious festival, was held at the dzong after the 2012 fire.[8]
References
Zürcher, D., & Choden, K. (2004). Bhutan: Land of Spirituality and Modernization : Role of Water in Daily Life. New Dawn Press. (Page 177)
Dzongs: The centre of temporal and religious authorities (Punakha Dzong, Wangdue Phodrang Dzong, Paro Dzong, Trongsa Dzong and Dagana Dzong). UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
Other unknown attractions of Wangdue. (2022-09-24). Kuensel Online.
Dargye, Y. "Founding of Wangdue Phodrang Dzong" Indigenous Facts of Bhutan: Proceedings of the 3rd Colloquium. (2009). National Museum of Bhutan. ISBN: 978-99936-622-9-7 (Page 107)
Wangdue Dzong rises to glory again. (2022-11-12). Kuensel Online.
Yangdon, S. (2017-08-19) "Wangdue Phodrang Dzong reconstruction finishes 47 percent of total work." The Bhutanese.
His Majesty The King graces Sertog installation of Wangdue Dzong Utse. (2018-05-30). BBS.
Sonam, P. (2023-09-25). Wangdue Phodrang Tshechu returns to newly reconstructed Dzong after over a decade. BBS.
