BRIEF HISTORY
- According to legend, Drubthob Nagi Rinchen came to Punakha after learning through his clairvoyance power that his mother was reborn as a frog inside the rock, (symbolizing hell) due to her dreadful sins.
- In search of the rock Drubthob Nagi Rinchen finally reached Punakha after tedious journey. Unfortunately, he found out that the land on which the rock stood belonged to an old woman called Aum Ritsa Chum.
- Since the rock belonged to someone, he couldn't do what he liked. So, he thought that he must buy the big rock to liberate his mother, the very mission that he came to Punakha.
- Drubthob than approached the old woman and asked for the rock who demanded that he work for her for three long years to get the same. Drubthob left with no other alternative than to accept the offer. So, he worked for her doing all types of jobs like ploughing, digging, paddy cultivation weeding, looking after cattle, fetching water, bringing firewood and even carried cattle manure. Manure carrying generally is considered to be sinful if carried by a man. Carrying of manure still today is considered a woman’s work in the villages.
- During Drubthob’s service to the old woman he followed certain timings, during day, he engaged in the woman's work and in the evening, he meditated in a cave across the Mochhu. It is believed that Drubthob crosses the Mochu river without even touching his feet on the water.
- After completing three years of labor work to Aum Ritsa Chum, Drubthob got the big rock where his mother is believed to be inside. To free her he sent lightning through his power to split the big rock into two from where a frog came out. He immediately killed the frog by crushing it with his feet and sent its soul to paradise.
- Finally, from the remains of the frog he molded tsha tsha and offered them as dzung in Risugem chorten.
- In 1991, the lhakhang was constructed near the sacred rock by Yab Ugyen Dorji and Yum Thuji Zam and offered to Punakha Dratshang. Today, the lhakhang is commonly called Dho Jhaga Lam Lhakhang.
- The lhakhang houses a statue of the guru (to the far right), who is recognizable by the scriptures in his top knot. Nagi Rinchen meditated in a cave across the river (marked by prayer flags next to the Sona Gasa, the former palace of the third king), and so is depicted here as a long-haired drubthob (hermit-magician). To the far left is a statue of the local female protector Chabdrab, riding a snow lion.
