Chorten Kora

 

PC: Trashi Yangtse (Facebook page)

Chorten meaning an object of worship said to have built during the time of Buddha in 2500 years ago. Different chortens were built along the haunted places particularly to subjugate malevolent forces, expand well beings or as part of funeral rites. Those figures have played great importance to flourish Buddhism and align people with sublime harmony of nature.

The beautiful white pearl known as Chorten kora situated below Trashi Yangtse town adjacent to the confluence of swift flowing Khulongchu plays an instrumental role in the district’s history. An archetypical stupa gives indefinable physical landscapes that has differing feature from the commonest structures of ordinary chortens in Bhutan. Multitude of spiritual festivals of eastern region are performed at the pristine site during auspicious days led by highly learned Buddhist masters. As graceful as the place garlanded by beatific lane around and exquisite sound from meandering Khulongchu gives overall sense of ephemeral enlightenment. Journey from Trashigang towards Chorten kora takes about two-hour drive and pilgrims cross yet another revered site, Gomphu kora (sacred holy site of Guru Rinpoche) en route to Trashi Yangtse.

The pristine stupa is associated to 4^th Rigsum Goenpa (monastery) lama, lam Ngawang Loday. He constructed a replica of Nepalese Bodhanath stupa in memory of his late uncle lama Jangchub Gyeltshen. The place where the stupa stands at present day was engulfed by demons and many people lost their lives. Local people requested Rigsum lama to pacify all malevolent forces. The stupa was then constructed corresponding to the request made by people after he returned from Nepal.

According to the written history by lam Kezang, former principal of Zorig Chugsum in Trashi Yangtse, lama Ngawang Loday along with his close friend lama Zangpo from Tawang (Arunachal Pradesh) toured Nepal. They experienced blissful moment and was awe-inspired upon visiting the prominent Bodhanath stupa popularly known as Jarungkhashor (Jarung ‘can be done’, Khashor ‘agreed’ in Tibetan language). They decided to build similar stupa in their respective region and returned with a model of stupa carved on a radish respectively.  As committed lama Ngawang Loday chose to construct a stupa at Trashi Yangtse hamlet near Khulongchu because the site was believed to be a common hibernating place for demons. The construction of stupa was helped by his close disciples and devotees from eastern region which took about 12 years to complete the work. He named it as Deurong chorten which literally means Due ‘demon’ and rong ‘creek’ in Dzala kha. However, with the gradual passage of time, the site has now gained its popularity as chorten kora.

History has it say that later people had tough time mounting stone pinnacle onto the stupa. Lama Shacha Gyalpo from Punakha, one of the highly learned lamas of Rigsum Goenpa came to the rescue and within no time he placed the pinnacle on top of the stupa. Another similar amazing incident happened when people were left with no choice but to seek help from Lama Sacha Gyalpo to bring down the pinnacle for renovation work. Lama Sacha Gyalpo performed secret rituals and the stone pinnacle was automatically brought down at night. The natural stone carved pinnacle is still visible near the stupa.

Chorten kora though represent revered Nepalese Bodhanath stupa, lama could not construct same chorten of Bodhanath because the radish underwent physical changes. The actual structure was tarnished owing to lama’s prolonged return trip. Therefore, the stupa still exists in its indigenous form which people hold with high regard. The stupa was consecrated by His Holiness Je Yonten Thaye during his second trip to Trashi Yangtse. Thereafter, evils living in that hamlet were vanquished and subsequently people in the community had harmonious life. At the same time, lama Zangpo constructed another stupa at Pangchanang hamlet in Tawang and the stupa was named as Gorzam chorten.  

While the construction of chorten reached at dome, a pious eight years old dakini (witch) is believed to have sacrificed her life to help all beings alleviate pains and she voluntarily entombed into the stupa along with an ox. Every year, people of Tawang frequent to Trashi Yangtse on 15^th day of first lunar month to pay gratitude to their lady and the festival is known as Dakpa kora. Local people say that on auspicious days, fortunate hear a mooing sound if listened carefully through small openings. As per oral narratives, demons are believed to be living in an overhanging cliff at the banks of Khulongchu just opposite to Chorten. They even tried to bring chorten under their kingdom but a pair of furious Buddha’s eyes facing towards the cliff and the sacredness of the chorten suppressed their act. That is why one can still see the cupola being inclined towards the direction of cliff.

The stupa underwent refurbishment which was supported by Royal Government of Bhutan. Visitors may now witness new sertog (golden cupola), stone-slab roof, enclosure and prayer wheels around which was initiated by Dzongkhag administration of Trashi Yangtse. People who could not visit Bodhanath stupa in Nepal can visit Chorten kora to receive blessings and have a glimpse of it.