Now it’s time to head inside the walls of this huge (590 by 236 feet) structure, but first we must pass through a small gate in a low wall that creates a small, grassy entrance plaza.
Entrance Gateway to Punakha Dzong
From this plaza, it’s a long way up the wooden entrance steps. Designed in the 17th century so that they could be pulled up in the event of an attack, they’re not the easiest steps to climb.
Main Entrance to Punakha Dzong
Just inside there are a number of paintings, including one of the Four Harmonious Friends. For an explanation of the symbolism, see Thuenpa Puen Zhi.
Four Harmonious Friends
This dzong has three instead of the usual two courtyards or docheys. To give you an overall view of the dzong, here’s a photo of the model I saw in Thimphu. The largest building on the left is the utse; the open space to its left is the administrative courtyard.
Model of Punakha Dzong in National Library at Thimphu
The utse is massive;
Utse of Punakha Dzong
the carving in the window bays spectacular.
Upper Story Windows of Utse
The decorations on the roof corners are not gargoyles in the sense that they carry water from the roof.
- Roof Decoration
- Bodhi Tree and Chorten
The second courtyard, which is surrounded by monk’s quarters, is fairly small since a temple was built there in 1978 (or 1983, depending on the source) to the Tantric deity Cakrasamvara.
Temple in Second Courtyard of Punakha Dzong
In the third is a large assembly hall or kuenrey (kunre) for the monks, as this is the winter home of His Holiness the Je Khenpo and 250 monks.
Kuenre or Large Assembly Hall
Also located in the third courtyard is a temple containing the remains of the Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, the man who unified Bhutan and built the dzongs across Bhutan. Only the king and the Je Khenpo can enter the room where the remains are kept.
Temple in Punakha Dzong
The following photo provides a close-up of the ground floor windows.
Close-up of Window Painting
Also hidden away in the utse is Bhutan’s most treasured possession–the Rangjung Kharsapani, which I’ll discuss in my next post.