GANGJUB, THE WIND GUARD AND CARETAKER OF WANGDUE DZONG

 

Wangdue Dzong, one of the iconic monuments of Bhutan, was razed to the ground by inferno in 2012. That cataclysm sank the hearts of every single Bhutanese, including mine. For once, I thought we could never have a Dzong like the previous one. Proving me wrong, there rises a more beautiful and resilient Dzong from the ashes of fire.

Once again, passersby stop by Tsamizampa checkpoint, frame in the rising monument and snap-shoot numerous photographs to relive the former glory. A couple of weeks ago, I happened to stop by for a snapshot too. But my subject was not the Dzong. I was zooming in the Methrupi Lhakhang, standing right in the middle of Puna-tsangchhu, adjacent to the bridge. At that moment, a young girl, seemingly a college student, recognized me and asked if I knew anything about the small red structure on the far right end of the Dzong. She was pointing at Gangju Lhakhang. 

I was dumbstruck. All I could tell her was the name of the Lhakhang. Rest blank.

That very evening, I made a point to consult Lobey Lhatu, a learned monk in Wangdue. He healed my anxiety with the following piece of information:

While a vision intrigued Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal to visit the ridge that resembled a sleeping elephant, he was uncertain about the site for the construction of Dzong. Persistent wind over the ridge was one deterrance but the bigger reason was whether building the Dzong on that ridge had the auspice (tendrel) to prevail his dominance over the three realms (ཁམས་གསུམ་དབང་དུ་འདུས). His indecision got cleared when Gangju Tsen (སྒང་མཇུག་བཙན), the deity of the ridge showed up before Zhabdrung in person and vowed to avert wind catastrophe should he construct the structure there. Exhilarated, Zhabdrung immediately commanded him to be the prime caretaker of the upcoming Dzong. Following Gangju Tsen, the land guardian Ramichukpo Tandin Golay also rose up and proffered the land for the construction of Dzong. 

Those two spontaneous commitments from the semi-divine beings were enough for Zhabdrung to settle down with the decision to build the Dzong. In exuberance, the full name of the Dzong was also decided on the spot as “Khamsum Wangdue Choekyi Phodrang”. Currently, most of us do not know the complete name. 

Later when the construction works began, a small Lhakhang was built at the outskirts to honour Gangju Tsen. A daily offering was also committed in exchange for his divine service to the protection of the Dzong. The Lhakhang also houses a mermaid, a khor (companion) of Gangju Tsen. 

Called in short as “Gangjub '' his statue resembles Ap Gyenyen of Dechenphug – red countenance, wrathful and rides a horse. The name Gangju Tsen means to say, the deity who resides at the end of the ridge. 

Over the years, beside daily rituals and offerings, a Kurim for His Majesty the King on a monthly basis has been instituted for the King’s long life. Lately, under the command of Ven. Dorji Lopen, offering has also been initiated to appease the mermaid (Tshomen) of Wangdue bridge, who was once infamously known for hindering the construction of Wangdue bridge.

Lobey Lhatu and self at Wangdue.