Tshering Namgyal | Lhuentse

As the main tourism product developed through tourism flagship programme, the spectacular and majestic Jigme Namgyal Nagtshang (ancestral home of the monarchs) in Dungkar, Lhuentse, will be transformed into a museum.

The dzongkhag administration collected 131 artefacts including traditional farm and kitchen items, arts and crafts from 30 households in the dzongkhag and installed it at the ground floor of the four-storied traditional house.

Named as Jigme Namgyal Museum, the first floor houses traditional warfares such as pata (sword) and dralha (shield) and the second floor houses Kanjur lhakhang and Peling lhakhang with nangtens (inner relics). The top floor contains zhugthri and zimkhang of Jigme Namgyal.

The Nagtshang of first Druk Gyalpo, Gongsar Ugyen Wangchuck, would also be displayed at the top floor.

Artifacts on display at Jigme Namgyal Museum

With the installation of artefacts completed recently, it’s ready for public display, but the dzongkhag administration is yet to inaugurate it.

Lhuentse residents are hopeful that converting the famed Jigme Namgyel Nagtshang to Museum would attract international tourists.

They said during the pandemic, lots of domestic tourists, especially pilgrims, visited the dzongkhag.

Meanwhile, other tourism products like a mule track have been developed from Kurtoe to popular Ney tshachu (hot spring) with a two-storied guesthouse that can accommodate 60 to 70 people and three units toilets near the tshachhu.

Lhuentse dzongkhag’s economic development officer, Tshewang Zangmo, said a mule track from Ney village of Gangzur gewog, an alternate route for Ney tshachu has been completed.

“We just need to construct a bridge over Chutigangchhu,” she said.

Maintenance of old Rodongla track from Maedtsho gewog to Bumthang completed last year.

Tshewang Zangmo said mule track with installation of a wooden bridge and construction of canopy between Phunyingla and Aja Ney is almost complete. “A mule track is also being developed from Aja to Shelridzong by Mongar dzongkhag administration and Trashiyangtse dzongkhag is also developing mule track from Yangtse to Sheridzong.”

Similarly, toilets were built at the famous Rinchen Bumpa Ney and Khamphu Ney in Kurtoe gewog, and two hot stone baths were also developed at Lingabi in Gangzur gewog and Fawan in Tsaenkhar gewog.