Tips
Hubert Trapp
November 13, 2024
Hiking
Chimi Lhakhang is also known as the "Fertility Temple". The single building was built on a hill in 1499 by the Buddhist monk Drukpa Kunley.
Drukpa Kunley is often referred to as the "divine madman" due to his unconventional behavior. In contrast to the calm demeanor of most monks, he deliberately practiced unorthodox practices, a lifestyle full of wine, women and poetry, to shake his fellow monks out of their complacency and draw attention to the hypocrisy of many monastic orders. The phallus became the symbol of Drukpa Kunley, signaling both fertility and the power to attain enlightenment.
orientalarchitecture.com/sid/1538/bhutan/punakha/chime-lhakhang-temple
atlasobscura.com/places/chimi-lhakhang
Drukpa Kunley is often referred to as the "divine madman" due to his unconventional behavior. In contrast to the calm demeanor of most monks, he deliberately practiced unorthodox practices, a lifestyle full of wine, women and poetry, to shake his fellow monks out of their complacency and draw attention to the hypocrisy of many monastic orders. The phallus became the symbol of Drukpa Kunley, signaling both fertility and the power to attain enlightenment.
orientalarchitecture.com/sid/1538/bhutan/punakha/chime-lhakhang-temple
atlasobscura.com/places/chimi-lhakhang
Translated by
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•Halbschuh
February 5, 2025
Hiking
The temple, built in 1499 and reconstructed in 1998-99, is part of every obligatory multi-day tour through the country.
Translated by•
•Andi
November 10, 2025
Hiking
It began with Drukpa Kunley, the "divine madman," who built a chorten on this site in the 15th century after vanquishing a demoness with his "magical lightning bolt of wisdom." The main temple was built around this chorten in 1499 by Ngawang Choegyel, the 14th hierarch of the Drukpa dynasty. The monastery is now famous as a fertility temple and known for the wooden phallus used to bless pilgrims.
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•Routes here
Best routes to Chimi Lhakhang Temple
Details
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Elevation 1,300 m
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Sunday 22 February
18°C
4°C
30 %
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Max wind speed: 9.0 km/h
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