Tachok Lhakhang

Magnificently, perched on the hillside overlooking the Paachu River, stands the Tachog Lhakhang. It is located in the territory Paro valley and is first stop for the tourists, who enter the country via Paro International Airport and heading to Thimphu, the capital city of Bhutan –the land of Thunder Dragon.

The Lhakhang is built opposite side of the Thimphu-Paro highway and one must definitely cross one of Thangthong Gyalpo’s bridges to get to the temple. Thangthong Gyalpo was also called as Drupthob Thangthong Gyalpo. He was the only man who built the iron chain bridges in Bhutan in the 1400s, and is said to have built around 108 bridges around Tibet and Bhutan, where numerous bridges are still in use.

Tachok lhakhang is visited and watched by almost all the tourist come tom Bhutan. The lhakhang is owned by private, nevertheless the tourist are allowed to go in if consent is granted. It is believed that Tachog Lhakhang was built by his son Dewa Zangpo in 14^th century; keeping in mind the vision his father Thangthong Gyalpo visualized the establishing the monastery bearing the name Tachok Lhakhang.

Brief Biography of Thangthong Gyalpo

Thangthong Gyalpo was born in 1385 and died in 1464. He was originally from Tibet and flown into Bhutan to construct iron bridges. He was a great Buddhist, a yogi, physician, blacksmith, architect, and revolutionary civil engineer in the past. It is understood that he have built scores of iron chain suspension bridges around Tibet and Bhutan in various places.

He was called as Chakzampa (bridge-builder) is name accredited to him. He was the famous Tibetan saints known by his name Drubthop Thangthong Gyalpo. He is well thought-out to be a patron saint of Tibetan medicine and the founding father of Ache Lhamo. The Ache Lhamo was composed by him to collect fund for building suspension bridges. He recruited villagers to perform opera. He built the bridges over the extensive Himalayan Rivers to allow access by pilgrims to the sacred Buddhist sites, for trade purposes and other reasons.

Arrival of Thangthong Gyalpo in Bhutan

In the year 1433, he came to Bhutan. He then preached the people in different localities. He found large iron ore deposit in western Bhutan. Bhutan being craggy mountainous terrain did not even found alternatives to use raft and ferry connections like in Tibet. To connect various regions together and pilgrim sites, despite having precipitous gorges and torrential rivers, he started building bridges using iron ore found in Bhutan.

To construct iron bridges over the massive rivers, he then introduced the practice of making easier access to one another regions. As and when he travels to the south-western Bhutan, he visited the place where iron ores are found. He then associated with the blacksmiths of Chang Dungkar of Paro. The 18 blacksmiths from Chang Dungkar associated with him to forge iron and more chain links. He found iron ore at Tachok, where present day Tachok Lhakhang stands. Chang Dungkar is present day above airport, Paro. Therefore, he is said to be the first person to use heavy iron chains to construct suspension bridges.

He erected a bridge across the Paachu to Tachok lhakhang. The lhakahng was built his first successors. The iron bridge was then destroyed by high water in 1969. The chains were washed away by river and some parts are rescued. The rescued chains are kept in the attic of the hut behind the lhakhang. It was saddest parts of the incident for all because it was built by Thangthong Gyalpo himself.

To make sure the access to the important Tachok across the swift flowing Paachu River, the modern suspension bridge was built after 1969. It was then used to commute to and fro by the people. In 2005, the iron chain bridge over the Paachu River was re-erected. The iron chains used in the bridges are secured chains of Tachok itself and some 4 chains originates from Doksum, Trashi yangtse, which was dismantled in 2004.

Today, this iron chain bridge is one if the tourists spots in the country. And for Bhutanese who heard about iron chain bridges and have never seen in reality, to witness how it is beautifully erected.  This is pioneering example for our modern architects and it also exhibit how durable the chains are.

As and when you all journey to Paro from other districts, please never forget to have glimpse over Tachok lhakhang and also iron chain bridges over Paachu River. Remember, it is only few kilometers drive from Chuzhom.