"One of Bhutan's oldest temples, built in 659 CE to pin a demoness and dedicated to the future Buddha"
Jampa Lhakhang
Dawathang_Dorjibi_ Kashingtsawa, Bumthang District, Bhutan
Jampa Lhakhang in Bumthang is said to be one of 108 temples built by Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo in a single day in 659 CE, each pinning a part of a supine demoness who obstructed Buddhism's spread. This temple pins her left knee. Dedicated to Maitreya — the future Buddha — it holds the past and the not-yet in a single structure. Its annual festival features fire dances and a midnight naked dance that dissolve the boundary between spectator and the sacred.
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Quick Facts
Location
Dawathang_Dorjibi_ Kashingtsawa, Bumthang District, Bhutan
Tradition
Site Type
Coordinates
27.5754, 90.7335
Last Updated
Mar 9, 2026
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Founded in 659 CE by King Songtsen Gampo as one of 108 temples to subdue a demoness, later visited by Guru Rinpoche who healed King Sindhu Raja.
Origin Story
King Songtsen Gampo of Tibet divined that a supine demoness lay across the Himalayan landscape, her body obstructing Buddhism's spread. He built 108 temples in a single day, each pinning a part of her anatomy. Jampa Lhakhang was built on her left knee, in the Choekhor Valley of Bumthang. The temple is dedicated to Jowo Jampa (Maitreya), the future Buddha. In the eighth century, Guru Rinpoche visited and restored the life force of King Sindhu Raja, who had fallen ill after offending a local deity.
Key Figures
King Songtsen Gampo
Built the temple in 659 CE as one of 108 demoness-pinning temples
Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava)
Visited the temple and healed King Sindhu Raja
Terton Dorji Lingpa
Initiated the Tercham (naked dance) performed at the annual festival
Spiritual Lineage
The temple belongs to the broad Vajrayana Buddhist tradition, with connections to both the early Tibetan imperial period (Songtsen Gampo) and the later treasure-revelation tradition (Dorji Lingpa). Its festival draws from multiple Buddhist lineages.
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