Dzong
(རྫོང།) is a term for the huge fort
or fortress. The earliest dzong building in the country began around 11th
or 12th centuries by Tibetan
Lama Gyalwa Lhanangpa, an important leader of the Lhapa Kagyu (a
sub sect of Kagyupa); a dzong namely Chelkha Dzong in Paro (Chelkha was
one of the main seat for Lhapa Kagyu religious tradition which stand today in
ruins) and Do-Ngon Dzong
(Blue Stone Dzong) where Dechen Phodrang stands today was built by him. There
were many other Lams after Lam Gyalwa Lhanangpa who also built dzongs in Bhutan.
The dzongs built before Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal were used as monasteries. It
was only from the time of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal in the seventeenth century
(17th) that the dzongs played a significant role in the
history of Bhutan. They not only served as an effective defence but also
became the centres of religious and cultural activities and the seat
of civil authority. In fact, they became the “symbol of Drukpa rule”
which Zhabdrung Rinpoche established.
Almost
all the Dzongs were built in the same way. They were first designed as
parallelograms divided into several courtyards, Do-chhen which literally
means “large stone” The construction was mostly of beaten mud and stones and
timber. The site chosen was always a commanding one and generally on a ridge
overlooking the entrances to a valley with the primary object of defence. In
some cases, as the high ridges had problems of water supply, underground
passages were built to connect them with sources of water. These can still be
seen in Drukgyel and Jakar Dzongs. In the course of time Poenlops and
Dzongpoens administered their respective areas from these dzongs. People used
to seek protection in the Dzongs in the event of a war. Dzongs were also
the store-houses of national treasures, books and written records as well as
weapons. In times of famine, the dzongs functioned as granaries in their
respective valleys and helped to feed the starving people. Many of the
dzongs over the centuries were either burnt or damaged by earthquakes and
floods, resulting in the loss of these national treasures and records. Several
dzongs (Monastery Fortress) have been rebuilt such as Drugyal Dzong in Paro
while some are still existing in ruins such as Zhonggar Dzong in Monggar. The
dzongs also played an important role in the religious life of the country. Each
dzong had a central monastery to house the monks and carry out religious
training. It was after the establishment of the hereditary monarchy in 1907
that the Dzongs were converted purely into administrative and monastic centres.
The
dzongs can be classified into monastic dzongs, palace dzongs and castle
dzongs. Most of the dzongs that can be seen today in Bhutan are examples of
monastic dzongs. Whereas, Wangdue Choling in Bumthang and Kuenga Rabten in Trongsa
are the examples of palace dzongs. Drapham Dzong (recently discovered and excavated
in Bumthang) is an example of castle dzong.
Punakha Dzong
Courtesy: Google
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