Built in 1501 and located 5km away from Jakar town in Bumthang.
Tamshing monastery originally known as Tamshing Lhendup Chholing (monastery of good message), is located in Chokhor valley at 5km distance from Jakar town. It is a small single storey complex surrounded by village houses and a magnificent view of the Kurjey Lhakhang on the opposite side of the Chamkhar River.
History
The monastery was built in 1501 by the Pema Lingpa himself. Pema Lingpa is a great Buddhist saint and spiritual master who discovered many treasures around the kingdom. He built the monastery with the help of Dakinis who built a lot of statues. Pema Lingpa is also credited with the founding of various sacred masked dances.
Architecture
The entrance is led by a long pathway to the monastery which goes through an inner courtyard with monk quarters to its side and a huge prayer wheel to its left. The monastery with its unique interior design has the main altar built as a separate structure in the center of the ground floor of the main temple. In the alter, there are three main seats specifically designed for the three incarnations (body, mind, and speech) of Pema Lingpa. On the inner walls of the temple, there are images originally painted by Pema Lingpa himself which have not been restored since it was first painted. Though there is said to be even older paintings underneath.
The temple houses statues of Guru Rinpoche with a statue of Jampa (Buddha of the future) and Sakyamuni to its sides. The statue of Guru Rinpoche is said to be the primary statue of the temple. The most astounding aspect of the statue is that it was sculpted by the Dakinis and it is said that the eyes of the statue are looking upwards to look at the Dakinis ascending into the sky. A balcony spreads around the on the top floor of the temple. The balcony has a low ceiling as it is said that Pema Lingpa built the balcony to his exact size and Pema Lingpa was short in height. The balcony houses old religious paintings and various masks carved by Pema Lingpa which are off-limits to visitors.
The temple itself is built one above the other with a narrow path which runs around the main altar of the temple for circumambulation.
Pilgrims are advised to circumambulate around the alter carrying an iron blanket which was weaved by Terton Pema Lingpa himself when he was 8 years old which weighs around 20kilograms and it is believed that if one circumambulates carrying the iron blanket is said to rid them of their sins and bad intentions.
Events
The monastery currently houses about 100 monks. Every year a festival called Phala Choedpa is observed in the courtyard of the monastery. A series of unique ceremonial dances as part of the tradition set by Pema Lingpa himself is also performed for 3 days on the 8th Bhutanese month. Tamshing monastery also acts as a place of daily worship for villagers.
