Bhutan Architectural: Stone Art Dozo : DZONG

Architectural: Stone Art of Bhutan: DZONG

The Buddhism has great influence of the Dzong art of Bhutan. It was highly inspired by “Vajrayana”. It is translated as “diamond vehicle”, or “Thunderbolt Vehicle”. It referred to a weapon “Vajra”, a mythical weapon used for rituals. Founded by Indian Mahasiddhass, Vayrayana subscribes ti literature known as Buddhist tantras, mantras, dharanis, mudra and mandalas. According to Buddha, The three vehicles are the three routes to enlightenment.

The exclusive art and crafts of Bhutan, represents “the spirit and freedom of Himalayan Kingdom”.  Dozo: The stone work is the Masonry art of Bhutan and is still practiced today. In Bhutan, temples, Dzongs, Chortens (Stupas), Farm houses, are all made using stones. Examples of such work are “Chorten Kora” located in eastern Bhutan and “Chendebji Chorten” located in central Bhutan.

 Bhutanese has two demonstrated culture, one in internal and is related to Buddha Dharma and another is external culture, which is related to external worldly belongings like clothing, language, and other related things.

Dzongs are the monastery fortress. It is the stone craft of making walls to stone masonry. The art is to work a block out of a rock, which fits next to, and on top of another stone. The senior master mason makes the plans and supervises the angles in building a wall.

Stupas, Temples, bridges, houses and bridges are perfections, made immemorial. This art does not involve time consuming  process of making mortar, instead cement is preferred which is also easily purchased. However, senior masons prefer mortar over cement of today. Stone masons also make home utensils. Stupas represent complete state of art, the cosmos and mind of Buddha. The art of stupa is cosmological and psychological model.

Inheritance in Dzongs : History of DOZO art : The Dozo art reached its peak in 17^th century under the leadership of “Shabddrung Rinpoche”. Until 17^th century Bhutan was split into small independent principalities. Today the fourth king of Bhutan is leading the Bhutan in modern times. The monastery dzong/fortress may be compared with European castles and fortress of middle century with strongholds on political and religious power.

The defensive Dozong were made during this period. One such fortress is “wangdue phodrang” is amazing with spur overlooking the confluence of sakosh the “Puna Tsang” and “Sang River” thus blocking attacks by southern invaders. The “Drukgyel Dzong” at the head of the Paro valley uards the traditional Tibetian invasion, path passes over the high Himalayans. Dzong were built on hilltops. The valley build Dzong, were supported by a smaller dzong or watch tower, typically build directly uphill from the main dzong. “Punakha Dzong” is distinctive in the manner that it is sited on a relatively falt spit of land at the confluence of two rvers; Mo and Pho. The rivers surround the dzong on three sides.

Rinpung Dzong is the largest Buddhist monastery and fortress in paro district, Bhutan. Inside Rinpung Dzong are fourteen shrines and chapels.

1.       Kungarwa

2.       Monk’s assembly hall

3.       Sandal wood stupas. Stupas are hemispherical structure, originated as pre Buddhist tumuli (grave) where sramanas (Ascetic seekers) were buried.

4.       Protector’s shrine

5.       Temple of the Guru’s Eight Manifestations

6.       Chapel of the head lama

7.       Chapel of Amitayus

8.       The clear crystal shrine

9.       Chapel of the eleventh faced Avalokitesvara(Namo Ratna Trayāya Namaḥ Ārya Jñāna Sāgara Vairocana Vyūha Rājāya Tathāgatāya Arhate Samyak Sambuddhaya Namah Sarva Tathagatebyah Arhatebhyaḥ Samyaksaṃbuddhe Byaḥ Namaḥ Arya Avalokite Śvarāya Boddhisattvāya Mahāsattvāya Mahākāruṇikāya Tadyathā Oṃ Dhara Dhara Dhiri Dhiri Dhuru Dhuru Ite Va Itte Cale Cale Pra Cale Pra Cale Kusume Kusume Vare Ili Mili Citijvala māpanāye Svāhā)

11.    Apartments of the abbot

12.    Chapel of Akshobhya (it is the embodiment of “mirror knowledge)

13.    Temple of the Treasure Revealer

44.    Apartments of the king

15.    Temple of the bursar

Outside the main Dzong is the Deyangkha temple. There is a watch tower on the seventh story. This is now National Museum of Bhutan. Just below the Dzong is Cantilever Bridge.

Architectural Identity and Power

Shabdrung, was a great contributor to Bhuddhist Dzong art by uniting various small kingdoms with their own tradition into one, politically united a national costume, and most impressively independent architectural style with its Bhutanese style fortresses, the complex structure and artistic arrangements of wooden bay windows and the free standing roof. Bhutanese art of construction stands unique in Himalayan culture.

Bhutan fortress-monasteries were the clear reflection of dual system of government, combining religious and secular power, with the most important positions in both the areas filled by clerics. All Dzongs are divided into ecclesiastic and a state of wing. In the central part was meant for temple and prayer halls, they practiced religion and was shaped with Buddhism and in the other part they lived.

The temples are situated in the central tower in the courtyard which is called “Dochen”. The name has origin from the big stone with which the yard is cobbled. Inside the courtyard there are multistoried buildings with verandas, which contain temples, halls of prayer. Monks lived in quarters which had kitchens. Dochen was turned to religious center once in a year for every province, on the day of “tsechu festival”. The other part of the building, on ground was the hosts of Bhutan administrations and is run with the rule of highest authority “Penlop”. These were also surrounded by multistoried buildings. The façade at ground level often consists of arcades with wooden columns topped off by plant or cloud capitals. The upper stories were surrounded by veranda with wooden carvings or the facades are the structured windows, is also the place of secular administrator, tax collector and other jurisdiction authorities.

The cosmos of DZONGS: The Utse, the free tall standing tower, containing various temples on every floor. The eaning of this tower makes the architecture into an image of the Universe. Classical Buddhist cosmology relates to Indian scholar “Vasubandhu” which described “abhidharmaoksha” text in fifth century. As per the belief of Buddhism, the center of the cosmos is within the world mountain “Meru”, on which the gods sits with their indestructible and creative power. Hence, the tower connects with three levels of heaven, earth and underwater world. The other four surrounding building represents the four continents.

Paro Dzong, The Meru Mountain: A mural in the PARO shows the world. At each cardinal point around the mountain there is a continent in a different colour. Image

Songtsen Gampo: a mural in the Monsatery of Taktsang, a Tibetian King, who promoted the Buddhism. Image

Kyichu Lhakang: The temple is one of the most important shrines of Bhutan. It is an important place of pilgrimage and of ceremonies for the royal families. Image

Guru Rinpoche: He embodied Buddhism in the various Himalayan countries. Image

First Buddhist Temples:  Folklore is attached to it. It is believed that King of Tibet Songsten Gampo erected the first Buddhist temples, the Kyichu and Jampe-Lhakhang. This was indication of victory of Buddhism over pre-buddhist deities. King wanted to tame a huge demon whose body covered all of Tibet and its neighboring areas, which led to origin of a particular problem to the spreading of Buddhism. King then decided to erect a temple on each of joint of demon. Songsten had said to multiply himself and to have sent all his releases to carious areas of Tibet so as to erect 108 temples in one day. Towering temple over the heart of demon is famous “Johkhang in Lhasa”. The demon knee if fixed at temple “Jampe in Lhakhang” and her left soul is fixed at the “Kyichu in Paro”. Bhutan people do not any objections against the erection of the temples.

Guru Rinpoche introduced Buddhism in Bhutan. He was mystic and has image of magician. It was believed that, building temples over demon has led to little development in Bhutan, which was earlier not there.

Constructions of Dzongs: It is constructed without any architectural plan under the supervision of High Lama who establishes each dimension by the spiritual inspiration. In earlier times it was made by “corvee”, the free unpaid labors, who worked for only limited time in a year. Dzongs comprise heavy masonry curtain walls surrounding one or more courtyards. The main functional area is usually arranged in two separate sections. The two sections are administrative offices and the religious functions, including temples and monks accommodation. Accommodations were made between two covered walls, inner and outer, separated by stone tower. Centrally located, within the courtyard, housed the main temple that is used as defensible citadel. The main internal structures are again built with stones an in domestic architecture by rammed clay blocks. This was white washed inside and outside. The larger spaces such as the temple have massive inert timber columns and beams to create galleries around an open central full height area. Smaller structures were elaborately carved and painted timber constructions.

The roofs are massively constructed in hard wood and bamboo. This was highly decorated also at the eaves. This was constructed traditionally without the use of nails. These roofs were open at the eaves to provide a ventilated storage area.

These were then finished with timber shingles. Roof shingles are a roof covering consisting of individual overlapping elements. These elements are typically flat, rectangular shapes laid in courses from the bottom edge of the roof up. Shingles are made of various materials like wood, slate, flagstone, fiber, cement, metal, asphalt and plastic. The roof of “Tsong Dzong” is one such Shingle roof. The courtyards were usually stone flagged, are generally at a higher level than the outside and approached by massive staircase and narrow defensible with large wooden doors. All doors have threshold to discourage the entrance of spirits. Temple was set at a level above the courtyard with further staircases up to them.

Special Thanks to :

www.bhutanculturalatlas.org

www.dozogroup.com

bhutan.ims.tuwien.ac.at

buddhistmonksbhutan.com

opon Kunzang Thinley , Dasho Sangay Dorji (2008) , Lopon Kunzang Thinley (2008),  Ardussi, John A. (1999). "Gyalse Tenzin Rabgye and the Founding of Taktsang Lhakhang" (pdf). Journal of Bhutan Studies. Thimphu: Centre for Bhutan Studies.