Overview
Of all the religious figures of Bhutan, perhaps no one is as popular as Drukpa Kunley or The Divine Madman. The maverick saint was so revered that a temple – Chimi Lhakhang (translating to ‘Temple of the Divine Madman’) was built in his honor. Legend has it that Lama Kunley subdued a demon of the region with his ‘magic thunderbolt of wisdom’ and trapped it in a rock close to where the Lhakhang now stands. He was known as The Divine Madman for his unorthodox ways of teaching Buddhism often with sexual overtones. He is also the saint who advocated the use of phallus symbols that even today adorn Bhutanese paintings and houses. The Lhakhang is believed to bless couples who seek fertility and children. The monastery is the repository of the original wooden phallus that Drukpa Kunley brought from Tibet. It is used to bless people who visit the temple on pilgrimage, particularly women seeking blessing to beget children.
