Chimi Lhakhang : A tourist attraction for childless couples in Bhutan

Chimi Lhakhang is a Buddhist monastery of Bhutan which is popular as a tourist destination for childless couples because they saw great miracles after worshipping in its premises.

It is about 60 km from Bhutan’s capital city Thimphu.

The monastery sits on a round hillock. It the one of most prominent religious tourist destination of Bhutan. A number of prayer flags overlooks the surrounding in the settlement.

The monastery is near a village called Sopsokha. A 20 minutes walk along muddy and dusty path through agricultural fields of mustards and rice leads to the hillock where the monastery and the chorten are present.

The 14^th Drukpa hierarch Ngawang Choegyel built the monastery in 1499.

However, it was Drukpa Kunley (1455–1529) who first built a chorten at the site.

He is popularly called the maverick saint or the ‘Divine Madman’

The Drukpas are the indigenous people of Bhutan and the largest tribe in the country.

As per legends, a demoness named Loro Duem and two other demonesses used to live near the monastery . They used to terrorize the people living in the area during that period.

When Drukpa Kunley heard of the sufferings of the people, he arrived near Chimi Lhakang. The two demonesses who had sensed the divine power of the saint soon dissolved into the body of Loro Duem.

Loro Duem tried to escape from Drukpa Kunley by taking the disguise of a dog. She was captured with his “Thunderbolt of Flaming Wisdom” which is said to be the phallus.

The Phallu is one of the main sacred symbol of Chimi Lhakhang.

Moreover, phallus are believed to be divine lucky charms of Bhutan. It is painted outside homes in all shapes and sizes for protection. These symbols are also sold as charms in accessories.

The saint then buried the demoness under the mould of a hill. He also uttered the word ‘Chime’ which means ‘no dog’ and built a black chorten on top of the mould.

Prior to killing the demoness, Drukpa Kunley asked her to become a devotee of Lord Buddha. She is now the local deity known as Chhoekim who is the guardian of Chimi Lhakhang.

Drukpa Kunley’s cousin Lam Ngawang Choegyal built a temple in 15^th century in honour of Drukpa Kunley and named it Chimi Lhakhang which means ‘No Dog Temple’.

Chimi Lhakhang is of modest size, square in shape and elegantly designed with golden roof. It is surrounded by a row of prayer wheels and its exterior walls are embedded with beautiful slate carvings of saints' images.

Chimi Lhakhang is also known as Fertility Temple of Bhutan as tourist from different parts of the world come here to seek blessings for conceiving a child.

The blessing process involves visitors getting hit on the head by the presiding Lama with the 10-inches ivory and wooden phallus followed by the bow and arrow used by Drukpa Kunley. 

People who successfully became parents after visiting the monastery send in pictures of their children with gratitude notes which are preserved in a picture book at the sacred site.