☸️ Kurjey Lhakhang
Bhutan
About This Sacred Site
Kurjey Lhakhang in the Bumthang Valley is one of Bhutan's most sacred sites, marking the cave where Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava) meditated and left his body imprint (kurjey means 'body print') on the cave wall. The complex comprises three temples built over different centuries. Guru Rinpoche came to Bumthang in the 8th century to subdue a local deity, and his meditation in this cave is considered one of the pivotal events in the establishment of Buddhism in Bhutan. The first kings of Bhutan are buried in the grounds, and the site is surrounded by 108 chortens.
Key Facts
- •Contains a cave where Guru Rinpoche left his body imprint on the rock wall
- •The name 'Kurjey' means 'body imprint' in Bhutanese
- •Comprises three temples built in the 17th, 18th, and 20th centuries
- •The first two kings of Bhutan are cremated and entombed here
- •Surrounded by 108 chortens (Buddhist shrines)
Location
Coordinates: 27.5928, 90.7350
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