Punakha (Dzongkha: སྤུ་ན་ཁ་) is the administrative centre of Punakha dzongkhag, one of the 20 districts of Bhutan. Punakha was the capital of Bhutan and the seat of government until 1955, when the capital was moved to Thimphu. It is about 72 km away from Thimphu, and it takes about 3 hours by car from the capital. Unlike Thimphu, it is quite warm in winter and hot in summer. It is located at an elevation of 1,200 metres above sea level, and rice is grown as the main crop along the river valleys of two main rivers of Bhutan, the Pho Chu and Mo Chu. Dzongkha is widely spoken in this district.
Pungthang Dewachen Phodrang (Palace of Great Happiness) or Punakha Dzong was constructed by Tuebi Zaow Balip under the great command of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal in 1637 and believed to have been completed in a two-year time period. It is also the country's most beautiful Dzong. It is the winter residence of Bhutan's Central Monastic Body led by the Je Khenpo. The Dzong houses the most sacred relics of the Southern Drukpa Kagyu school including the Rangjung Kasarpani, and the sacred remains of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal and Tertön Padma Lingpa.
In 1907, Punakha Dzong was the site of the coronation of Ugyen Wangchuck as the first King of Bhutan. Three years later, a treaty was signed at Punakha whereby the British agreed not to interfere in Bhutanese internal affairs and Bhutan allowed Britain to direct its foreign affairs.
In 1780, 1789, 1802, 1831, 1849, and in 1986, the dzong was partially destroyed by fire. It also experienced an Earthquake in 1897 and a flood in 1994.[1]
Due to its location at the confluence of the Pho Chhu and Mo Chhu rivers in the Punakha-Wangdue valley, the dzong is vulnerable to flash flooding caused by glacier lakes (GLOF). According to a recent report, flash flood damage to Punakha Dzong occurred in 1957, 1960 and 1994.[2] Currently (March 2010) work is in progress to protect the dzong from future flood damage by deepening the river channels and raising the embankments using four large steam shovels.
A covered wooden cantilever bridge crossing the Mo Chhu river was built together with the Dzong in the 17th century. This bridge was washed away by a flash flood in 1957 or 1958. In 2006 work started on a new covered wooden cantilever bridge of traditional construction with a free span of 55 meters which was completed in 2008 with the help from the Germans.[3]
Ritsha Village
Punakha valley is famous in Bhutan for rice farming. Both red and white rice are grown along the river valley of Pho and Mo Chu,[4] two of the most prominent rivers in Bhutan. Ritsha (meaning at the base of a hill) is a typical village in Punakha. The village houses are made of pounded mud with stone foundations. Each house is only two stories high. Surrounding the houses are the gardens and the rice fields. The gardens also usually have fruit-bearing plants like oranges and papaya among the organic vegetables. The village is 1 km away from Punakha-Gasa high-way and currently, the villagers are engaged in constructing the 1 km farm road. In recent years, the farming work is mechanized and power-tillers instead of bullocks are used to plough the fields and villagers have become relatively prosperous. This village is often called the ‘rice bowl’ of Bhutan due to abundance of red and white rice.[5]
^"Punakha Dzong and Monastery". RAO Online. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
^Chhopel, Karma (2006-03-15). "Flash Floods and Debris Flows due to Glacial Lake Outburst Floods" (ppt). Proceedings of the International Workshop on Flash Flood Forecasting coordinated by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Weather Service and the World Meteorological Organization, San José, Costa Rica, March 2006. Conference web site (NOAA), Abstract (pdf). Thimphu, Bhutan: Hydro-Met Services Division, Dept. of Energy, Ministry of Trade and Industry. {{cite conference}}: External link in |others= (help)
^Nestroy, H. N. (2008). "Re-construction of the Cantilever Bridge crossing the Mochhu (Mo-River) connecting Punakha village and Punakha Dzong in adapted traditional Bhutanese architecture". Pro Bhutan e.v. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
^"Ritsha Village of Punakha Valley, Places to visit in Punakha, Best time to visit Ritsha Village | Bhutan Holidays". bhutanholidays.net. Retrieved 2020-06-11.
^"An Overview of Ritsha Village in Punakha Valley That You Must Visit | Bhutan Tourism". Bhutan. Retrieved 2020-06-11.
External links
Punakha travel guide from Wikivoyage
Pictures of Punakha Dzong on Flickr
Photo gallery of Punakha Dzong (Nov 2005)
Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal at the Dharma Dictionary
Punakha Places to visit
April 15, 2023
punakha, dzongkha, administrative, centre, dzongkhag, districts, bhutan, capital, bhutan, seat, government, until, 1955, when, capital, moved, thimphu, about, away, from, thimphu, takes, about, hours, from, capital, unlike, thimphu, quite, warm, winter, summer. Punakha Dzongkha ས ན ཁ is the administrative centre of Punakha dzongkhag one of the 20 districts of Bhutan Punakha was the capital of Bhutan and the seat of government until 1955 when the capital was moved to Thimphu It is about 72 km away from Thimphu and it takes about 3 hours by car from the capital Unlike Thimphu it is quite warm in winter and hot in summer It is located at an elevation of 1 200 metres above sea level and rice is grown as the main crop along the river valleys of two main rivers of Bhutan the Pho Chu and Mo Chu Dzongkha is widely spoken in this district Punakha ས ན ཁ Administrative centrePunakha Dzong and the Mo ChhuPunakhaCoordinates 27 35 N 89 51 5 E 27 583 N 89 8583 E 27 583 89 8583 Coordinates 27 35 N 89 51 5 E 27 583 N 89 8583 E 27 583 89 8583Country BhutanDistrictPunakha dzongkhagElevation1 242 m 4 075 ft Population 2017 Total6 262Time zoneUTC 06 00 BTT Contents 1 Pungthang Dewachen Gi Phodrang 2 Ritsha Village 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksPungthang Dewachen Gi Phodrang Edit Pungthang Dewachen Gi Phodrang in Punakha and jacarandas This article contains Tibetan script Without proper rendering support you may see very small fonts misplaced vowels or missing conjuncts instead of Tibetan characters Main article Punakha Dzong Pungthang Dewachen Phodrang Palace of Great Happiness or Punakha Dzong was constructed by Tuebi Zaow Balip under the great command of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal in 1637 and believed to have been completed in a two year time period It is also the country s most beautiful Dzong It is the winter residence of Bhutan s Central Monastic Body led by the Je Khenpo The Dzong houses the most sacred relics of the Southern Drukpa Kagyu school including the Rangjung Kasarpani and the sacred remains of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal and Terton Padma Lingpa Punakha Dzong In 1907 Punakha Dzong was the site of the coronation of Ugyen Wangchuck as the first King of Bhutan Three years later a treaty was signed at Punakha whereby the British agreed not to interfere in Bhutanese internal affairs and Bhutan allowed Britain to direct its foreign affairs In 1780 1789 1802 1831 1849 and in 1986 the dzong was partially destroyed by fire It also experienced an Earthquake in 1897 and a flood in 1994 1 Due to its location at the confluence of the Pho Chhu and Mo Chhu rivers in the Punakha Wangdue valley the dzong is vulnerable to flash flooding caused by glacier lakes GLOF According to a recent report flash flood damage to Punakha Dzong occurred in 1957 1960 and 1994 2 Currently March 2010 work is in progress to protect the dzong from future flood damage by deepening the river channels and raising the embankments using four large steam shovels A covered wooden cantilever bridge crossing the Mo Chhu river was built together with the Dzong in the 17th century This bridge was washed away by a flash flood in 1957 or 1958 In 2006 work started on a new covered wooden cantilever bridge of traditional construction with a free span of 55 meters which was completed in 2008 with the help from the Germans 3 Ritsha Village EditPunakha valley is famous in Bhutan for rice farming Both red and white rice are grown along the river valley of Pho and Mo Chu 4 two of the most prominent rivers in Bhutan Ritsha meaning at the base of a hill is a typical village in Punakha The village houses are made of pounded mud with stone foundations Each house is only two stories high Surrounding the houses are the gardens and the rice fields The gardens also usually have fruit bearing plants like oranges and papaya among the organic vegetables The village is 1 km away from Punakha Gasa high way and currently the villagers are engaged in constructing the 1 km farm road In recent years the farming work is mechanized and power tillers instead of bullocks are used to plough the fields and villagers have become relatively prosperous This village is often called the rice bowl of Bhutan due to abundance of red and white rice 5 See also EditDzong architecture Driglam Namzha Ngawang NamgyalReferences Edit Punakha Dzong and Monastery RAO Online Retrieved 9 July 2021 Chhopel Karma 2006 03 15 Flash Floods and Debris Flows due to Glacial Lake Outburst Floods ppt Proceedings of the International Workshop on Flash Flood Forecasting coordinated by the U S National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration s National Weather Service and the World Meteorological Organization San Jose Costa Rica March 2006 Conference web site NOAA Abstract pdf Thimphu Bhutan Hydro Met Services Division Dept of Energy Ministry of Trade and Industry a href Template Cite conference html title Template Cite conference cite conference a External link in code class cs1 code others code help Nestroy H N 2008 Re construction of the Cantilever Bridge crossing the Mochhu Mo River connecting Punakha village and Punakha Dzong in adapted traditional Bhutanese architecture Pro Bhutan e v Retrieved 2009 01 23 Ritsha Village of Punakha Valley Places to visit in Punakha Best time to visit Ritsha Village Bhutan Holidays bhutanholidays net Retrieved 2020 06 11 An Overview of Ritsha Village in Punakha Valley That You Must Visit Bhutan Tourism Bhutan Retrieved 2020 06 11 External links Edit Punakha travel guide from Wikivoyage Inside information about Punakha Dzong Pictures of Punakha Dzong on Flickr Photo gallery of Punakha Dzong Nov 2005 Photos of Punakha Dzong Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal at the Dharma Dictionary Punakha Places to visit Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Punakha amp oldid 1136726575, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
