The Dungkar Dzong in Pangbisa, Paro, is a vivid living monument to the era of transformation in Bhutan. The structure represents Bhutan’s architectural splendour at its best. In function, it is an icon of change, an expression of times to come. The concept is an ingenuous demonstration of how a proud past welcomes an exciting future.

Across Bhutan, majestic dzongs silhouette the skyline or strategically command inhabited valleys. Such monuments embody the myth that is Bhutanese history, representing a civilisation that is solid in foundation, unique in identity. As landmarks, they are very Bhutanese – historically significant, mythological in image, spiritually revered.

These monastic fortresses of the past are still foundations of Bhutan’s sovereignty, housing the monastic order and the government; they stand as strong pillars of spiritual and cultural heritage, governance, and learning.

Today, the Dungkar Dzong, an inspired vision of His Majesty The King, is already a milestone that gives Bhutanese legend and reality a new sense of time and place. The traditional magnificence of the structure encases a culture of education, innovation, skills, and technology of the 21st century. Built on a spur overlooking Paro, the Dungkar Dzong is not just a reminder of Bhutanese history but a setting for Bhutan to step onto the wider global space.

Pangbisa

Pangbisa village, a traditional community of the high Himalayan range, is spread over a gently sloping landscape covered by mixed coniferous trees and rhododendron bushes, against a panorama of the Himalayas. At an altitude of 2,500 to 3,000 metres, the three dozen or so families of hardy farmers are adjusting from a simple life – growing wheat, mustard, turnip and radish, rearing livestock – to a modern suburb.

An increasingly prominent tableland above the Paro valley, Pangbisa sits on the confluence of four sacred nyes (sites):

To the north is the exotic Chomolhari peak, 7,326 m (24,035 ft) from where Goddess Jomo watches over Bhutan’s livestock. Chomolhari is the source of glacial rivers and streams which flow into the vast plains of India.

The western ridge is crowned by the Ugyen Guru Lhakhang that overlooks the valley. It was where Terton (Treasure Revealer) Sherab Mebar meditated in the 15th century.

To the east is Dongkola, citadel of Dongkar Tsen, the unyielding guardian deity of Dongkarla. This site was blessed and sanctified by Terton Tshering Dorji.

On the south, the ridges roll down the foothills of southern Bhutan towards the flatlands Gelephu, now emerging as a new gateway to the world.

Pangbisa is changing the pace of the country’s development and empowering a new generation of Bhutanese people. It is altering the lifestyle of traditional farmers through the process of modernisation and creating a Bhutanese community of the 21st century.

Over the past decade, the Pangbisa plateau has grown into a unique national landmark in Bhutan’s transformation. The new pinnacle is the Dungkar Dzong which houses the Druk Gyalpo’s Institute, seven lhakhangs with monk caretakers, and a world standard convention wing to host international conferences and exchange. Not far from the dzong is the modern campus of Bhutan’s first law school, the Jigme Singye Wangchuck School of Law.

Dungkar Dzong

Dungkar Dzong was named by His Majesty The King, drawing a connection with Dungkar village in the northeastern district of Lhuntse, home of the Wangchuck dynasty. Dungkar village was so named because it resembles the white conch from which sound travels in all directions, connoting the spread of the dharma in all directions.

Bhutan has come to know a King who builds dreams into reality with a personal touch. The Dungkar Dzong took form under the close supervision of His Majesty, a vision which merged a futuristic interior into an ancient façade.

The structure is a display of traditional materials and skills. Massive stone slabs from the Paro region and sturdy wood blocks from Bhutan’s temperate valleys are fitted together by zows (woodworkers) with age-old dexterity. The all-Bhutanese team of builders and carpenters were amazed by their own enhanced precision and efficiency as they learnt mechanised techniques, completing a task in about seven years what would have been a lifetime of work.

The dzong’s four entrances are protected by the guardian deities of the four directions and steps into the dzong represent a passage of time. The flights of stone slabs, not different from the ones that monks used in medieval times, climb and usher the visitor, through traditional arches, into the 21st century.

The design and layout inside the dzong is different from traditional dzongs with its innovative use of creative space and modern amenities. The bulk is reduced and space is expanded by the design, and movement facilitated by technology which includes six elevators. Four flagstone courtyards denote a central administrative section, the school courtyard, a covered “Founder’s Hall”, and an elevated west courtyard. Interspersed among them are the temples, library and classrooms, a Vajrayana research and publication section, and furnished spaces for events and functions.

Around the dzong recreation parks, mixed gardens, and lawns share the 600-acre campus with a traditional archery range as well as ruins of an old Lhakhang and farmhouses. The high-end sports facilities include a multipurpose hall for indoor sports, a football stadium, a swimming pool (to be built), and athletics tracks, all tailored for global events.

The disabled-friendly campus is equipped with modern facilities including whole-campus wifi. The institution accommodates students and faculty in rammed-earth dormitories and houses. They dine in a hall that showcases Glue Laminated Timber – a timber technology that is growing rapidly, especially in the face of climate change issues.

Education

His Majesty The King has explained that the idea of developing a home-grown education system was drawn from His Majesty Drukgyal Zhipa’s perspective that there is no greater place to learn and be educated than in one’s own country. What you learn from external systems and education abroad can only add to what you already know about yourself and your country.

Prioritising the empowerment of the people, His Majesty The King has issued a Royal Decree for education reform. His Majesty started The Royal Academy in Pangbisa to develop and apply new and innovative education ideas. This initiative has grown into the development of the Bhutan Baccalaureate to ensure an indigenously developed world-class curriculum that will reform the education system and make it relevant to the world today.

The Bhutan Baccalaureate is developed by the Druk Gyalpo’s Institute through its three centres: the Education Research Centre; the Teacher Development Centre; and The Royal Academy. The Institute highlights His Majesty The King’s recognition of the critical role of education in enriching the lives of Bhutanese citizens, nurturing successive generations of leaders, and bridging social and economic disparities to build a just and harmonious society.

The conference wing has already hosted national and international conferences and a major Bhutan Innovation Forum is scheduled for the first week of October.

Conclusion

The Pangbisa phenomenon is a Royal vision that blends an ancient past and exciting future. Bhutan’s spiritual and architectural traditions, important elements of the unique Bhutanese identity, are embodied in a magnificent dzong which is conceived and built as an illustration of the changing times. The atmosphere traditionally created to nurture monks to enlightenment through traditional monastic education is now home to the Bhutan Baccalaureate and international discourse. These progressive trends converge in the process of nation-building in a changing world.

This is the transformation of Bhutan – a Royal legacy for the future.

Contributed by

Dasho Kinley Dorji

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