Royal Visit: His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Gyaltsuen arrived in Dungkhar, the ancestral home of the Wangchuck Dynasty, on the immensely auspicious occasion of the birth anniversary of Guru Rinpoche, with His Royal Highness The Gyalsey.

Numerous propitious tendrel imparted supreme significance to the occasion of His Royal Highness’ first visit to Dungkhar.

The Wangchuck Dynasty is descended from Tertoen Pema Lingpa, born as prophesied by Guru Rinpoche to discover numerous precious treasures hidden by the Guru.

The Dungkhar Choeje, descended through Pema Lingpa’s son Khedrup Kuenga Wangpo, resided on a hill shaped like a conch shell. Jigme Namgyel, whose son Gongsar Ugyen Wangchuck would become the first King of Bhutan, was born here to this family.

His Royal Highness Gyalsey Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck was received with a grand chipdrel ceremony to the Nagtshang said to have been built by Jigme Namgyel.

Their Majesties and His Royal Highness offered prayers at the Guru Lhakhang in the Nagtshang, which houses important nangtens of Guru Rinpoche and Pema Lingpa.

On the auspicious occasion, His Majesty personally entered His Royal Highness’ Name in an ancient document that bears the names of all the ancestors of the Wangchuck Dynasty, tracing back to Pema Lingpa.

Among the relics, a ceremonial hat that belonged to Jigme Namgyel, which had remained with descendants in the village, was offered to His Majesty.

The people of Dungkhar, gathered at the courtyard of the Nagtshang to meet their Prince, and welcomed Their Majesties with Tshogchang offering. Sacred chhams of Dungkhar were performed to mark the special occasion.

His Majesty introduced HRH to the people, and granted tokha. Their Majesties also visited the Dungkhar Choeje Nagtshang, where the ancestors of Jigme Namgyel lived in the past.

The Lhuentse Lam Neten described the Royal Visit as a prophetic moment of the coming together of the past and present.

“His Royal Highness The Gyalsey was born in the year when the birth year of Guru Rinpoche coincides with the 400th anniversary of Zhabdrung’s arrival to Bhutan. And today, our Prince has graced the ancestral soil of Dungkhar for the first time on the most holiest of days, the tenth day of the monkey month, on which Guru Rinpoche was born in the year of the fire male monkey, which comes but once in a Rabjung.

“The karmic fruits of all our actions are multiplied manifold in such a day, and to have Their Majesties visit Dungkhar with The Gyalsey for the first time, on such a day, connecting the past with the present, will bring great benefit to our country and people,” he said.

“Since Dungkhar is the place from which Jigme Namgyel set forth, and connects our revered Kings to Pema Lingpa, and Guru Rinpoche, this is a great and significant event,” he added.

The Lam Neten said that Lhuentse is also an important place linked to Guru Rinpoche, as the site of sacred sites and numerous treasures concealed in hidden lands (baeyul) by the Guru.

Their Majesties visited Lhuentse Dzong yesterday with His Royal Highness, and offered prayers. Their Majesties and His Royal Highness The Gyalsey arrived in Lhuentse yesterday, and were welcomed by the people from across the dzongkhag, who had gathered at various places along the way to meet their Prince, with offerings of tshogchang, flowers, and dhar.