1

RESEARCH NOTE

HIS HOLINESS THE 13
TH
DALAI LAMA AND BHUTAN
HOUSE IN KALIMPONG

Her Majesty The Queen Mother of Bhutan,
Ashi Kesang Choden Wangchuck

His Holiness the Great 13
th
Dalai Lama Ngawang Lobzang
Thubten Gyamtso stayed in the newly built Bhutan House in
Kalimpong for three months in 1912 as the guest of my
grandfather Raja Ugyen Dorji
1
and his sister Ayi Thubten
Wongmo.
2


His Holiness the 13
th
Dalai Lama was most kind loving and
generous to my grandfather and my grand-aunt, and before
he returned to Tibet from Bhutan House, he gave them his
beautiful great gilded carved wooden alter and two smaller
gilded carved wooden alters filled with the most precious and
sacred gilded statues, each of which he placed on his head
and prayed deeply over them before placing them on the alter
himself.

His Holiness the 13
th
Dalai Lama also left many other
treasures, religious brocade robes and many personal robes
to my grandfather and grand-aunt.

From Lhasa, His Holiness send to them a large exquisite
gilded bronze statue of himself to keep on his throne in the
temple (lhakhang) in Bhutan House where he stayed.

His Holiness named the temple Dechen Gatsal, 'The Happy
Garden of Great Bliss'.

His Holiness named the newly built Bhutan House Mingyur
Ngonpar Gawai Phodrang, 'he Palace of Unchanging Supreme
Joy'.
Journal of Bhutan Studies
2
My grand-aunt gave some silver to Hi s Holiness and asked
him to have a silver statue of the Thousand-armed and
Thousand-eyed Avalokiteshvara (Chenrezi Chatong Chentong)
made for her in Lhasa. His Holiness had a beautiful silver
Chenrezi made for my grand-aunt which is the main central
image on the alter in the temple in Bhutan House.

After Raja Ugyen Dorji passed away on 22
nd
June 1916 my
grand-aunt Ayi Thubten Wangmo who was herself ailing at
the time, visited Lhasa in the year of the Fire Snake (1918),
and had audience with His Holiness the Dalai Lama. She
performed rites for Raja Ugyen Dorji in Lhasa, making tens of
thousands of offerings in all the temples at the Potala and in
Lhasa, and made large offerings, served tea and donated cash
to the monks of the three large seats of learning (Sera,
Drepung and Ganden) as well as to all other monasteries of
various sects for the welfare of the state and the spread of the
Dharma. At that time His Holiness the Great 13
th
Dalai Lama
bestowed great loving, kindness and high honour upon my
grand-aunt Ayi Thubten Wangmo, allowing her to be carried
in her dandy
3
right up to the door of His Holinesss Kalzang
Phodrang Palace in Norbu Lingka in Lhasa.

His Holiness the 13
th
Dalai Lama gave to our family a decree
(kashog) written on yellow silk and sealed with His Holinesss
great seal.

In the kashog His Holiness expresses his gratitude to my
grandfather and grand-aunt for their help and hospitality to
His Holiness and his entrourage during the time His Holiness
was residing in Darjeeling (1910-1912), and for working for
the state and well-being of Tibet and her people.

H.H the 13th Dalai Lama and Bhutan House in Kalimpong
3
Thereafter, on His Holinesss way back to Tibet, gratitude is
also expressed for inviting His Holiness to their home, and
extending excellent hospitality for several months in the
newly built Mingyur Ngonpar Gawai Phodrang Palace, The
Palace of Unchanging Supreme Joy at Kalimpong.

His Holiness expressed thanks to them for their matchless
virtuous deeds.

His Holiness writes in the kashog that in future Sonam
Tobgye, son of Raja Ugyen Dorji will be the next zimpon
4
of
Bhutan in succession to his father. His Holiness awarded
Zimpon Sonam Tobgye honouring status of nobility and
appointed him 4th rank officer (Deputy Minister), and along
with presents of promotion, Sonam Tobgye received the title
or citation 'eminent and wise' and the square seal with red
stamp.
5


His Holiness ends the kashog with his prayers and blessings
for those who honour this order at present and in the future.

His Holiness the 13
th
Dalai Lamas kashog was issued in the
later part of the 12
th
month of the Fire Snake Year (1918)
from the Kalzang Phodrang Palace at the court of the Secular
and Religious Seat at Norbulingka where the Dharma victory
banner of both teachings and pratices of the Three Disciplines
is flying high to uphold the Doctrine.

A translation of the kashog is presented in Appendix I, and a
transliteration of the same by Prof. Per K. Srensen in
Appendix II.


Notes

1
Ugyen Dorji received the title of raja around 1910.
2
Ayi, lit., mother, is a honorific term for a lady.
3
Dandy, a chair attached to one or two staffs, and carried by four or
more men.
4
Zimpon, Lord Chamberlain.
Journal of Bhutan Studies
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5
The original reads ching sbi lig zhes pa'I cho lo, i.e. the title or
citation (cho lo> Mongolian ola) and ching sbi lig (> Mongolian ing
bilig), meaning 'eminent and wise' (Prof. Per K. S rensen, personal
communication).


Appendix I


Translation of the kashog presented by His Holiness the 13
th

Dalai Lama to Raja Ugyen Dorji and his sister Ayi Thubten
Wangmo:

[Title]
The decree of the one called Ocean Lama [i.e. Dalai Lama],
the immutable Vajradhara [Thunderbolt-Holder], the All-
knowing One, the sovereign Ruler of the entire [realm of] the
Teaching of Buddha, covering all times and places, the Lord
of the three worlds, the Sovereign [i.e. Jinendra] reigning
[upon the] injunction of the Buddha stemming from the Noble
Country [i.e. India].

[Text]
This decree is dispatched to all people who enjoy the blazing
light of the sun with their head facing towards the sky and in
particular, all high and low ranking chiefs, including
headmen, elders and general public of the provices of U and
Tsang [Central Tibet] under the administration of the great
Government (of Tibet) and also the people of Bhutan [lHo
Brug].

Raja Ugen Dorji, Zimpon, [residing at] Bhutan House [brug
nang] [in] Kalimpong [ka sbug] and his sister Ayi Thubten
Wangmo extended their help and hospitality to me [the 13
th

Dalai Lama] and my entourage while we were residing in
Darjeeling, working for the state and well-being of Tibet and
her people. Thereafter, on our way back to Tibet, they had
again invited us and extended excellent hospitality as earlier
for several months in the new built palace Mingyur Ngonpar
H.H the 13th Dalai Lama and Bhutan House in Kalimpong
5

Gawai Phodrang ['Palace of Unchangeable Perfect Joy'] at
Kalimpong for which I express my thanks to them for their
matchless virtuous deeds.

Before her passing away, Ayi Thubten Wangmo arrived here
in Lhasa in the Fire Snake Year [1918] and called on me. She
made offerings surpassing myriads in number in all the
temples at the Potala and in Lhasa. They also made large
offerings, served tea and donated cash to the monks of the
three large seats of learning Sera, Drepung and Ganden as
well as to all other monasteries of various sects for several
times for the welfare of the state and spread of the Doctrine
for which there is no reason for anyone to be jealous and
competition in the same.

In the future, Sonam Tobgye, son of Raja Ugen Dorji, will be
the next Zimpon of Bhutan in succession of his father. I
hereby award Zimpon Sonam Tobgye honourary status of
nobility and appoint him 4th rank officer of the Government
(Deputy Minister) along with the citation 'eminent and wise'
and the square seal with red stamp. All the above mentioned
people should honour this and extend all services without
any question. My prayers and blessings for those who honour
this order at present and in future.

Issued on later part of the 12
th
month of the Fire Snake Year
[1918] from the Kalzang Phodrang Palace at the court of
secular and religious seat at Norbulingka where the victorious
banner of Dharma, both teachings and practices of the Three
Disciplines is flying high to uphold the Doctrine.








Journal of Bhutan Studies
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Appendix II


Transliteration of the decree
By Prof. Per K. Srensen


[Title]
'Phags pa'i yul nas sangs rgyas kyi bka' lung rgyal dbang 'jig
rten gsum mgon dus kun sa steng gi kun khyab rgyal bstan
yongs la mnga' dbang bsgyur pa thams cad mkhyen pa 'gyur
med rdo rje 'chang rgya mtsho'i bla mar 'bod pa'i gtam




[Seal of 13th Dalai Lama]


[Text of decree:]
rab 'bar nyin mo'i snang bar longs su spyod pa'i skye rgu spyi
bo gnam bstan yod do chog dang bye brag dbus gtsang / lho
'brug gi sa'i char 'khod pa'i gnam bskos gzhung sa chen po'i
mnga' zhabs su gtogs pa'i rdzong gzhis sne mo ba / spyir
btang dmigs bsal gyi dpon 'go che chung / rgan bcu dmangs
sogs drag zhan mtha' dag la springs pa / ka sbug 'brug nang
gzim ra dza ogyan rdo rje dang / spun a yi thub bstan dbang
mo de nyid nas ngos ston 'khor 'phags yul du ljongs bstan
'gro'i bde thabs khra tshugs 'du 'god bgyid sgor rdor gling du
bskyod sdod ring dang / de rjes ka sbug tu mi 'gyur mngon
par dga' ba'i pho brang gsar bskrun dang 'brel ba'i lta bskyod
tshur lam zla shas gdan 'dren bkur bsti zhabs tog sogs bsod
nams rnam par dkar ba gsum gyi lhag bsam dad 'dun che ba
zhus rjes che zhing / da lam me sbrul lo a yi thub bstan
dbang mo'ang 'das khar lha 'byor thog 'di ga'i mjal phyag
dang 'brel lha ldan rtse shod rten khag la mchod sprin khri ra
H.H the 13th Dalai Lama and Bhutan House in Kalimpong
7

brgal ba dang / gdan sa chen po gsum gyis mtshon ris med
'dus sde mchis so cog la bsnyen bkur mang 'gyed yang yang
snga phyir du zab rgyas bstar ba bcas gang sa nas bstan pa
chab srid kyi lar rgyar dad 'dun lhag bsam snying zhen brtsi
su che bar bzos sgo mi dman pa dgos nges ma zad / gzhan
'gran yong don med cing / slad kyang pha shul bu 'dzin slad
la 'tsho skyong gang ci 'brug nang gzim bu 'di nyid kyi skabs
su babs par brten 'brug nang gzim ka sbug ra dza ogyan rdo
rje de nyid kyi bu 'brug nang gzim bsod nams stobs rgyal 'di
par gzhung zhabs mi drag rim bzhi spyi 'gro'i go gnas dang /
gdan thob gsol ras thog ching sbi lig zhes pa'i cho lo dang /
tham ka gru skor / rtags dam dmar po bcas kyi gzengs bstod
bgyis pa yin gshis 'di pas 'gro 'dug bgyi pa yin lugs su spyod
par khyod gong 'khod tshang mas lung dang mthun pa'i phan
char gang 'gro las / gnod 'gal log par 'gro rigs gtan nas ma
byed / tshul bzhin sgrub pa rnams la 'phral yun kun tu dge
ba'i skyabs 'jug kyang bgyis pa yin / zhes go bar bya ba'i yi ge
me mo sbrul lo'i rgyal zla'i dmar phyogs kyi gral tshes dge bar
bslab gsum rnam par dkar ba bshad sgrub chos kyi rgyal
mtshan mngon par sgrengs shing / lugs gnyis nyin mor
spyod pa'i dge mtshan mchog tu bzhad pa'i mdun sa nor
gling bde skyid kun dga' 'khyil pa'i bskal bzang pho brang
nas bris /


[Seal]