Located in North of Thimphu at about 30 minutes drive from the main town, this monastery, now a College of Bhutanese Astrology is one of the oldest monasteries in Bhutan.
Located in North of Thimphu at about 30 minutes drive from the main town, this monastery, now a College of Bhutanese Astrology is one of the oldest monasteries in Bhutan. It was founded in the 16th century; Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal (Unifier of Bhutan) lived here after he arrived in Bhutan in 1616. Legend has it that a raven guided Zhabdrung to the monastery.
The monastery got its name after the five Lamas from different religion sect abandoned the monastery fearing Zhabdrung’s power. Pangri which translates to an abandoned ridge and Zampa is a bridge, near which the monastery is located hence the name of the monastery is Pangri Zampa Monastery. The Cypress tree that graces the monastery is said to be the largest of its kind in the country.
Apart from issuing Bhutanese calendars for every year, the College of Astrology is responsible for deciding dates for important national events. Significant national event dates like the royal wedding and the naming ceremony of the prince of Bhutan were also decided by this College of Astrology.
Monks who aspire to become traditional astrologers study in this college. Locals visit the monastery every year to learn about their yearly predictions about their luck, money, health, career and many more. Tourists who are interested to learn about their future predictions must visit the Monastery.
