🙏 Chimi Lhakhang (Fertility Temple)
Bhutan
About This Sacred Site
Chimi Lhakhang is a small but beloved temple on a hillock in the Punakha Valley, dedicated to the eccentric 15th-century saint Drukpa Kunley, known as the 'Divine Madman.' Drukpa Kunley was famous for his outrageous, unconventional behavior and bawdy humor, which he used to subvert religious hypocrisy and teach Buddhist wisdom. The temple is revered as a fertility shrine, and couples from around Bhutan and beyond come to receive a blessing with a wooden phallus and bow of Drukpa Kunley. Phallic symbols painted on houses in the surrounding area are a distinctive local tradition linked to the saint's teachings.
Key Facts
- •Dedicated to Drukpa Kunley, the 'Divine Madman' of the 15th century
- •Revered as Bhutan's most important fertility shrine
- •Childless couples visit to receive a blessing with a wooden phallus
- •Drukpa Kunley taught through bawdy humor and unconventional behavior
- •Houses near the temple are decorated with phallic paintings to ward off evil spirits
Location
Coordinates: 27.5117, 89.8667
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