Geographical LocationTang, Choejam village, Bumthang district
Description
The temple is in the middle of the village of Choejam above the village of Kyizum on the left bank of the Tang river and can be reached by a short climb on foot.
History
The place is associated with the great religious treasure discoverer Guru Choewang (1212-1270) who came from Tibet and is said to have discovered texts of the Vajrakila (phurpa) there.
A small structure was built in the 1960s by a Tibetan lama from Eastern Tibet who took the name of Choejam Lama and died in 1999.
Architectural style / school and related art works
The temple looks like a large house with a stone paved courtyard. It has two storeys and a circumambulation path.
Social cultural function
The temple is now looked after by the Choejam lama’s son. Besides conducting rituals for the village community, the lama started a festival in the 10th Bhutanese month and tried to include dances dedicated to Gesar, which are popular in Eastern Tibet. The influence of another Lama who resided for some years in this place in the late 1990s and took the name of Tang rinpoche was important in this endeavour. This lama originally from the region of Golok in Eastern Tibet, was a student of the famous master Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok (1934-.2004) who established the huge Serthar Larung gar monastery (Kham) and established Gesar dances there.
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Choejam Lhakhang
Description
The temple is in the middle of the village of Choejam above the village of Kyizum on the left bank of the Tang river and can be reached by a short climb on foot.
History
The place is associated with the great religious treasure discoverer Guru Choewang (1212-1270) who came from Tibet and is said to have discovered texts of the Vajrakila (phurpa) there.
A small structure was built in the 1960s by a Tibetan lama from Eastern Tibet who took the name of Choejam Lama and died in 1999.
Architectural style / school and related art works
The temple looks like a large house with a stone paved courtyard. It has two storeys and a circumambulation path.
Social cultural function
The temple is now looked after by the Choejam lama’s son. Besides conducting rituals for the village community, the lama started a festival in the 10th Bhutanese month and tried to include dances dedicated to Gesar, which are popular in Eastern Tibet. The influence of another Lama who resided for some years in this place in the late 1990s and took the name of Tang rinpoche was important in this endeavour. This lama originally from the region of Golok in Eastern Tibet, was a student of the famous master Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok (1934-.2004) who established the huge Serthar Larung gar monastery (Kham) and established Gesar dances there.