Originally built as a residence by Dawa Gyaltshen, a son of the famous Pema Lingpa, Prakhar Lhakhang hosts the annual Prakhar Duchoed festival in the middle of the ninth month (October or November). Legend has it that white monkeys participated in the construction (Prakhar means 'White Monkey'). On the ground floor is a statue of Sakyamuni, crafted by artists from Nepal. On the middle floor are statues of Guru Tshengye, the eight manifestations of Guru Rinpoche.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
15.01 MILES
This commanding dzong, high above the roaring Mangde Chhu, is perhaps the most spectacularly sited dzong in Bhutan, with a sheer drop to the south that…
Tower of Trongsa Royal Heritage Museum
14.82 MILES
This watchtower (ta dzong) overlooking the dzong now houses an excellent museum. The five floors of displays tell the history of the monarchy through such…
3.13 MILES
Jakar Dzong is in a picturesque location overlooking the Chokhor valley; the current structure was built in 1667. Its official name is Yuelay Namgyal…
5.83 MILES
This large, active and important temple complex is named after the body (kur) print (jey) of Guru Rinpoche, which is preserved in a cave inside the oldest…
5.94 MILES
This goemba, formally the Tamshing Lhendup Chholing (Temple of the Good Message), is 5km from Jakar. It was established in 1501 by Pema Lingpa and is the…
5.64 MILES
Just 400m below Tamshing, this towering, recently constructed and brightly painted building completely envelops the restored remains of the original…
5 MILES
Up a short side road about 1.5km past Sey Lhakhang, this fabulous temple is believed to have been built in 659 by the Tibetan king Songtsen Gampo, on the…
10.93 MILES
A bumpy 10km drive up the Chokhor valley from Thangbi Goemba is the small region known as Ngang-yul (Swan Land). The site was visited by Guru Rinpoche,…
Nearby Bhutan attractions
0.49 MILES
This Nyingma monastery and shedra (Buddhist college) was founded in 1935 by Dorling Trulku. In the ground-floor chapel there's a statue of Drolma (Tara)…
3.02 MILES
This chorten containing a large water-driven prayer wheel marks the intersection between Jakar's main thoroughfare and the road that follows the Chamkhar…
3.13 MILES
Jakar Dzong is in a picturesque location overlooking the Chokhor valley; the current structure was built in 1667. Its official name is Yuelay Namgyal…
3.24 MILES
This chorten marks the spot where a Tibetan general's head was buried after the defeat of a 17th-century Tibetan invasion force.
3.27 MILES
On the hill to the east of Jakar is this large Nyingma monastery, founded in the 1970s by Namkhai Nyingpo Rinpoche, with about 400 monks currently in…
3.6 MILES
The palace of Wangdichholing was built in 1857 on the battle-camp site of the penlop of Trongsa, Jigme Namgyal. It was the first palace in Bhutan that…