Chorten Kora

The legend of Chorten Kora, Trashi Yangtse...

The history of Chorten Kora dates back to the 18^th century’s Lam of Rigsum Goenpa, Ngawang Lodrö who built the Stupa next to swift flowing Kholung Chu River in Yangtse gewog, Trashi Yangtse Dzongkhag in Eastern Bhutan. It is said to be one of the important stupas in the country. Stupa was built in order to subdue harmful demon believed to have been at the site taking life of the people who passed by. Lama Ngawang Lodrö was said be Nephew of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal.

The various incidents had happened in the valley, so, group of people from Yangtse valley approached the lama of Rigsum Goenpa to help them to subdue the demon, where he agreed to do so. After performing the rituals lam found that to protect the locality from demon and future incident of demon taking life of human, he prophesied to built the Chorten where it stand currently. The troop leads by Lam Ngawang Lodrö went to Nepal to get architectural design of Boudhanath stupa which he prophesized. The troop came back with model made using Radish. Therefore, the Chorten is said be modeled after the famous Jarung Khashor Chorten in Nepal.

Then the construction of Chorten took twelve years to complete. For the chorten to be protective and defensive, a virtuous Khado (Dekini) from Tawang-district of Arunachal Pradesh in India was entombed in Chorten on 15^th day of 1^st month of Bhutanese calendar. Finally, the chorten was installed there. The consecration ceremony was held on 30^th day of same month by Je Yonten Thayae. This day, the festival is conducted for two successive times in same month. On 15^th day of 1^st month Bhutanese calendar, it’s called as Dakpai Kora (circumambulation of the Chorten by the Dakpas – the people from Tawang and native places) and Drukpai Kora (circumambulation of the Chorten by the Bhutanese people from all over the country) on 30^th. 

Local devils and evils or demon that had harmed the people of the valley was apparently subdued and banished. Then the people of the valley continued to live peacefully and happily. Even now the people offer deep prayers for protecting them from such demon or evils. 

Above the Chorten is a town of Trashi Yangtse which is of same name. The town was planned to be built based on traditional architectural design houses. The top on the Rinchengang is where the Dzong (the District headquarters) stands. The Dzong was constructed in mid 1990s after Trashi Yangtse became separate district from Trashigang.

The old dzong (the drungkhag headquarters) located is built on hilly area before reaching Chorten Kora. Now the Dzongkhag Administration is situated in new Dzong and Monastic body headed by Lam Neten is situated in Old Dzong that was renovated old one and additional temple and houses are built in early 2000s. 

Today, Trashi Yangtse dzongkhag is considered as rich in culture and tradition that exists prior to. Dapa is one of the famous productions which are bestselling in the country. The district consists of numerous Holy places such as Chorten Kora, Gomkora, Rigsum Goenpa, Pemaling, Dechen Phodrang, Om Bha Nye, Gongza Nye, and so on. There are various old temples that people used to offer their prayers.