Kurjey, or Kurjey Lakhang, is located in the town of Jakar in the Bumthang Valley. Kurjey is a complex of temples and caves built in 1652. The complex towers almost 9000 feet above sea level.
The Kurjey Lakhang has a white façade and red roofs, making it stand out against the brown hills in the background. The entire complex is surrounded with a white wall with 108 chortens. This wall was built in 1984 on the instructions of the Queen Mother. The complex has three monasteries, three chortens (memorials for the Royal Family members) and three temples, the oldest of which dates back to 1664. The Kurjey Lakhang is dedicated to the Rimpoche Lama, who introduced Buddhism to Bhutan. The temple complex also has an imprint of the revered monk, who was said to have left the imprint on the rocks while deep in meditation.
The oldest temple in the Kurjey Lakhang has large statues of the Rimpoche Lama, and 1000 smaller statues carved out on the rocks. The devout monks can be seen quietly rotating their prayer wheels, or sitting crossed legged, deep in meditation. The beauty of the valley is ideal for mediation and deep thinking, as the clear mountain air, the deciduous forests and the vast valley puts one in a serene frame of mind. The clam and peace in the surrounding touches the soul, and lets the mind wander to the realms of dragons and Yaks, the partly divine mythical beings mentioned in Buddhist literature.
