At 2,400 meters (7,874 ft) above sea level, just 5 km (3 miles) from Chamkhar town, Jambay Lhakhang rises gently from the heart of Bumthang. Marked at 27° north and 90° east, this is no ordinary temple—it's one of the oldest in Bhutan and among the few believed to have been built in the 7th century by King Songtsen Gampo.

Legend speaks of a demoness sprawled across the Himalayas, her body stifling the spread of the Dharma. To subdue her, the Dharma King vowed to construct 108 temples daily. Jambay Lhakhang, named after the future Buddha Jampa (Maitreya), was placed upon her knee. Its counterpart, Kichu Lhakhang in Paro, anchors her ankle.

Gyaza Kongjo, the divine queen, first saw the geomantic vision that led to this sacred construction. Today, the temple still breathes with purpose. Flowers like marigolds, cherry blossoms, and artemisia dot the grounds. Birds—white-throated laughing thrushes, rock pigeons, and common hoopoes—flutter through the trees.

Inside, walls glow with butter lamps and ancient murals: the Four Guardian Kings, the Eight Auspicious Symbols, Guru Drakpo Marchen, and the Dharma Wheel. During Jambay Lhakhang Drup, masked dancers swirl in the courtyard, firelight reflecting in pilgrims' eyes.

Even in stillness, Jambay Lhakhang moves people—a place where Bhutan's soul, history, and faith quietly hold the present in the arms of the past.