Location: The Kichu Lhakhang Temple is located in Lango Gewong of the Paro District in Bhutan.
Opening Hours: The timings to visit this breathtaking monastery is 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM, 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM.
Entry Fee: There is no entry fee for tourists or locals to visit the temple.
Average Temperature: The average temperature of Kichu Lhakhang varies from month to month and season to season. June, July, and August are the warmest months in Paro with temperature rising to 18° C. The coldest months are December, January, and February when the temperature plummets to -6° C. Rainfall is mostly experienced during the months of June, July, and August.
Distance from the nearest airport: The distance between the airport and the monastery is 5 kilometers (3 miles). The nearest airport to Kichu Lhakhang is the Paro International Airport. Tourists can fly to Paro and rent a cab to Kichu Lhakhang.
History of Kichu Lhakhang
It is believed that Songtsen Gampo built Kichu Lhakhang in order to overcome a giant demoness that spread over the entire Tibet. She was supposedly thwarting the expansion of Buddhism in the Himalayas. Therefore, in order to quell her, the first Buddhist King of Tibet constructed 108 temples, Kichu Lhakhang being one of them. This temple is one of the oldest and most significant temples in Bhutan. It is believed that during the war with the demoness, Songtsen Gampo created 108 temples in one night and Kichu Lhakhang was one of them.
Kichu Lhakhang is said to be a compound of twin temples. Apart from the original temple built by Songtsen Gampo in the 7th century, the Queen Mother of Bhutan, Ashi Kesang Choden built the second temple in 1968. The reason why Kichu Lhakhang is considered a remarkable and a significant monastery is due to its visits by various important Buddhist scholars over different times. Over the years, this magnificent monastery has been visited by Guru Rinpoche, Lam Kha Nga, Phajo Drugom Zhigpo, and Je Sherub Gyletshen who helped in expanding the exterior of the temple.
Architecture of Kichu Lhakhang
This architectural marvel is believed to have been built overnight by the First Buddhist King of Tibet, Songtsen Gampo in the 7th century and has been considered an architectural benchmark for all the newer monasteries. Kichu Lhakhang is an incredible blend of Buddhist eccentric culture and distinctive religious heritage. The main entrance way is coated with gold, and the floor is built with wood decorated with turquoise and numerous other gems. It takes you into an intimate courtyard filled with murals of King Kesar, who was famous for inspiring an epic poem considered to be the longest one in the world.
In 1968, Ashi Kesang Choden expanded the temple in order to house the statue of the eccentric Kurukulla handling flowers in the form of bow and arrows. The temple also houses some of the oldest and most intricate statues of Guru Rinpoche. The architecturally significant monastery has the statue of Gautama Buddha and the original builder, Songtsen Gompa as well.
