Bokha Dzong

 Bokha Dzong

Bokha Dzong is twenty minutes walk from Khaling town in Trashigang district. One has to cross the National Institute of the Disabled and Dawzor village to reach the Dzong. Bokha Dzong, the fortress like temple stands tall amid the corn fields surrounded by the village of Dawzor.

Legend states that an Indian saint known as Jadrung visited the place where the Bokha Dzong now stands. The same site was also visited by Aum (Lady) Jomo and Meme (old man) Dangling the guardian deities of Merak and Khaling. The year of its establishment is not known. However, the cracks along the walls and the dilapidated paintings seem close to medieval age.

The clothes worn by Meme Dangling and a mask of Aum Jomo are kept sealed in a wooden box opened only by his descendents. Meme Dorji from Khaling (a direct descendant of Meme Dangling) is the only one authorized to open the box and he does so on the 14th day of the 4th and 10th months for the benefit of the public.

According to a legend, the urn (a huge copper vase) was supposedly brought by Meme Dangling. On the 14th day of the 10th month, the bronze urn of Meme Dangling is taken to a stone stove formed of three stone placed close to each other about one hundred meters from the temple. The urn is then filled with bangchang (fermented corn beverage) and is said that the urn boils on its own without having to put on the fire.

Southwards across the temple are the ruins of the old Jiri Dzong (presently named Dzongphu). The construction of the old Dzong was commanded by the 3rd Desi, Minjur Tenpa in 1651. The Dzong couldn’t be completed because of the attack of Merak Lam Nakseng, with the aid of the Tibetan troops. A vague image of the ruins can still be seen on the site where the temple stands today.

The main nangten (relic) of Bokha Dzong is a statue of Tempa (Buddha). Others include statues of Chenrizig (Avaloketeshvara) and Chagtong Chentong (Avaloketeshvara with thousand legs and thousand arms). Also a shield, a metal arrow, a cap and a handful of spears (said to belong to Meme Dangling) are also preserved inside the Gonkhang (inner sanctum.)