| Name: | Dungtse Lhakhang |
|---|---|
| Identity: | Lhakhang |
| Level: | Registered Heritage Building |
| Category: | Heritage Building |
| Founder: | Thangtong Gyelpo |
| Constructed(Year|Century): | 0 | 15 |
| No. of Floor | 3floor |
| Main Wall | Stone masonry walls. The inner wall is approximately 2 meters thick, and the central tower is 2.6 meters in diameter. |
| Location: | Dopshari, Paro |
| Current Use: | Original |
| Ownership: | Community |
| Coodinates: | 00 |
Dungtse Lhakhang was built in the 15th century by the Tibetan ascetic Thangtong Gyalpo to suppress evil spirits and illnesses, specifically leprosy, associated with the local geography. Architecturally, it is conceived as a mandala, where each of its three levels corresponds to different spiritual initiations. The site is rich in legendary lore; it is said that during its consecration, the central tower moved and attempted to fly to Tibet, leading the builders to chain it down to the roof in four directions. The Lhakhang is also renowned for its massive collection of 15th and 18th-century murals, including rare depictions of the 84 Indian saints and the paradise of Guru Rinpoche, Zangdok Palri. On the top floor, there is a statue of Milarepa that is famously said to have miraculously spoken. Following a major restoration completed in 2019, the temple was formally returned to the care of the 15 local households of Jangsa.
