Bhutan Royal Family Her late Majesty Gayum Phuntsho Choden HM established great monuments HM provided support to heritage Bhutan Information Bhutan Videos

Her late Majesty Gayum Phuntsho Choden 1911-2003

Ashi Phuntsho Choden was born in 1911 at Wangdue Choling Palace to Chumed Zhalgno Dasho Jamyang of the Tamzhing Choeje family and Ashi Decho, daughter of Ashi Yeshey Choden who was the sister of Druk Gyalpo Gongsar Ugyen Wangchuck. Her Majesty Ashi Phuntsho Choden was known for her love and concern for the country and the Bhutanese people. Over a period spanning nine decades, she conducted herself with stately grace and dignity and with a clear perception and protectiveness of the geater interests of Bhutan. She was kind-hearted, generous and accessible to her people, with whom she never lost touch. She was greatly loved and respected by everyone. Her Majesty Ashi Phuntsho Choden was the precious link between the first Druk Gyalpo Gongsar Ugyen Wangchuck to the present Druk Gyalpo. She will be deeply mourned and affectionately remembered by generations of Bhutanese people. The passing away of Her Majesty Gayum Angay Phuntsho Choden represents the transition of a special era in the unique history of the kingdom of Bhutan.

At the age of 15 Ashi Phuntsho Choden was enthroned as the Queen of the second Druk Gyalpo King Jigme Wangchuck. In 1928, at the age of 18, she gave birth to the third Druk Gyalpo, His Majesty King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, at Thrupang Palace in Trongsa.

From an early age, Ashi Phuntsho Choden received a traditional education including lessons on Buddhism. She pursued Buddhist studies and, over the years, she received teachings, empowerment, and reading transmissions in the Drukpa Kargyu, Karma Kargyu, Dujom, Peling, and Nyingthig traditions from renowned Buddhist lamas.

The deeply ingrained spirituality that she developed became a foundation for the responsibilities that she took on herself and Ashi Phunstho Choden played an important role in maintaining and strengthening Bhutan's rich Buddhist heritage. She built a legacy of religious institutions, established spiritual learning centres, and preserved the rich imagery that formed a core of Bhutan's religious history.

When she was in her 20s, Ashi Phuntsho Choden was the first devotee to renovate the Kurje Lhakhang in Bumthang along with the wall-size images of the Guru Tshengyed. At Prakhar Nagtshang in Chumed, she built the Kudung chhorten of Thugsey Dawa Gyaltshen, and an image of Jo Jampa.

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Ashi Phuntsho Choden established great monuments

Ashi Phuntsho Choden established great monuments like the National Memorial Chhorten in Thimphu which she built in memory of her son, His Majesty Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, for the well being of the nation and the people. The chhorten, a Ka-Gong-Phur-Sum stupa, is a landmark with imagery of Tantric deities.

In the Kuenrey of Tashichhodzong Ashi Phuntsho Choden built the three-storey statue of Lord Buddha together with the assemblage of deities as well as murals depicting the 12 stages of Buddha Sakyamuni's life. In Paro, she built a three-storey Zangto Pelri Lhakhang at Taktshang Ugen Tsemo and offered sacred objects for the lhakhang. To avert misfortunes and degeneration of spiritual values Ashi Phuntsho Choden built a Guru Yidam Lha at the Chang Manyeg Lhakhang in Choetse, Trongsa.

In the Punakha Dzong, she built a silver image of Lord Jampa (Maitrya).

In PhuentsholingGonpa Ashi Phuntsho Choden built the Kunga Choling Lhakhang with eight Desheg Dhorten (Sugata Stupa) on the premises.

Ashi Phuntsho Choden also built a Lhakhang at Sherubtse College in Kanglung and a three-storey chhorten in Dechenchholing for the well being of sentient beings.

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Ashi Phuntsho Choden also provided support to Buddhist heritage

Ashi Puntsho Choden, who was an avid student, considered it important to strengthen Buddhist learning and sponsored the printing and distribution of thousands of volumes of religious texts and rare mandala miniature paintings. She established the Drubdey (meditation centre) in Tango and ensured that it was sustained by a religious estate.

SAshi Puntsho Choden built the Tshogkhang Lhakhang of Gangtey Sangag Choling where she initated the establishment of the shedra. In Tharpaling, she established a meditation centre for the nyingthig tradition and at Kunzang Choling she established a new meditation centre of the Peling tradition.

Ashi Phuntsho Choden also provided support to Buddhist heritage outside Bhutan. She built the Namgyel Choling Lhakhang in Darjeeling (India) and the Dongag Choling Lhakhang in Phagpa Shingkum in Nepal. She established a shedra of the nyingma tradition at the Zangto Pelri Lhakhang in Kalimpong (India).

Bhutan's Royal Family