The Guru in Langtang
Introduction to the Hidden Valley of Dagam Namgo
Beyul Dagam Namgo, The Heavenly Gate of the Half-Moon Shape, lies within the Rasuwa District of Nepal, in the Langtang Valley. While the location is well known today as a trekking destination for adventurers from all over the world seeking to explore the towering peaks of the Himalayas, during the time of Guru Padmasambhava few people other than traders passed through the land. From the Trishuli River Valley, Guru Rinpoché continued his journey following the river upstream towards Tibet. Just before crossing the Kyirong Valley to enter Tibet via the Mangyul-Gungthang gateway, the Mahaguru remained in Rasuwa for some time. While there, he meditated in many places, left hand prints and foot prints on stones as signs of his accomplishments, created a medicinal water source and a lake which people consider as blessed as Tso Pema in India. While Guru Rinpoché touched the entire area of Rasuwa, the Langtang Valley is particularly ripe with the Guru's blessings which he prophesied to be an auspicious location destined for Dharma practitioners in the future.
Opening the Hidden Valley
Beyul Dagam Namgo was first opened in 1680 by the tertön Rigdzin Nyida Longsal. Based on guides first discovered in the 13th century by Guru Tseten Gyaltsen, a highly esteemed though lesser known treasure revealer, Rigdzin Nyida Longsal recognized this hidden land to be located in the Langtang Valley. As documented in his biography,
“Finally, he set off on the 3rd day of the 8th month of the year of the monkey, offering prayers of supplication to the Master Guru Urgyen. Even though numerous illusions cropped up along the way he strode on further without giving way to doubt, and so he came to the centre of the ‘sacred place’. How he saw the upper and lower caves where Padmasambhava practiced, as well as the small cave of his practice, the foot impressions, the impressions of bodily parts etc., together with many miraculous signs.”
Upon his return from Dagam Namgo, Rigdzin Nyida Longsal met a local named Domari and his son Mingyur Dorjé. Mingyur Dorjé would prove to be particularly significant in further solidifying the land's identification as a hidden valley. He held Dagam Namgo in highest esteem, praising the beyul in the following words:
“Even more excellent than all the other secure hidden lands that have been described previously. It is easily reached and lies near Tibet. In other terma treasures, however, it is not dealt with in detail. If it is asked why, the answer is because it is a secret and protected area.”
Words from the masters
How to Get There
Today, this valley located in the Rasuwa district of Nepal, and is a well known trekking destination for tourist from all over the world. The Rasuwa district is 155 km from Kathmandu. The road is rough and winds through high mountain switch backs, so be prepared. The best time to visit to Rasuwa is in spring, before the monsoon, or in autumn. During the monsoon the road is very dangerous due to landslides. One can also travel there during the winter, although it gets cold and snowy. In order to visit, a permit is required which one can obtain in one of the many travel offices in the tourist areas of Kathmandu for 3,000 NRS. There are public buses or shared jeeps from Kathmandu that leave from Ratnipokari bus park to Dunche and Chilime. One can easily find various small home stays along the way.
While in Langtang
Goljung - Map Location
According to the locals, when Guru Rinpoché entered Rasuwa everyone was sick and no cure could be found. A yogi, who also served as a royal advisor, suggested to the king that Guru Rinpoché would be able to help drive out the sickness. Heeding this advice, the king invoked the Mahaguru. Guru Rinpoché knew of the situation and went to the small kingdom of Goljung to help. There, the Guru stuck his phurba in the ground causing medicinal water to spring forth. Everyone who drank from the water were cured. Guru Rinpoché then blessed the inhabitants and told them they should practice the Dharma, pointing out that Rasuwa was endowed with the qualities to enhance meditation practice.
Today the local lamas who own the land where the source of this medicinal water lies are the only ones who know of its location. This information is kept private in order to preserve the conditions of that area for retreat as much as possible. In Goljung one can find a monastery called Pal Yeshé Gompo, and a retreat center called Sangngak Ösal Pemé Ling.
Gatlang - Map Location
From Goljung, Guru Rinpoché flew to Gatlang, where one can find a special lake called Dzé Dingmo, known also by the name of Parvati Kunda Lake. Its origins lie in the aspirations and great devotion of those in Gatlang many years ago. These devoteees wished to visit Tso Pema Lake in India but were unabable to make the long journey south. Instead, they fervently supplicated to the Mahaguru, who appeared right before them in the sky surrounded by a retinue of dakas and dakinis. Miraculously, he manifested a pristine lake, Dzé Dingmo, and declared it equal in blessings to Tso Pema. It is said that if one performs at this site a smoke offering, known as sang, and wholeheartedly makes aspirations, the power of the blessings in this lake will make the aspirations come true.
About an hour away from Dzé Dingmo is another sacred site, where Guru Rinpoché again stuck his wrathful dagger into a rock causing red water to flow from it. This site became known as Chu Marpo, Red Water. Not far from there one can find a cave called Guru Dragphuk where Guru Rinpoche practiced meditation.
Chilime - Map Location
From Gatlang Guru Rinpoché continued his journey to Chilime, also known as Mu Kha, which is considered one of the most holy places in Rasuwa. There, one can find two places where Guru Rinpoché meditated and left footprints in the rocks. At the top of the hill lies a monastery called Kheto Pema Ling Gompa. Near there is a stupa where the Five Tseringma Sisters performed a dance and tamed demonic beings. It is said that one can also find dakini footprints there. In the village is Samten Ling Gompa, which was the first monastery built in the region around the 8th century, shortly after Guru Rinpoché journeyed through the region. After the 2015 earthquakes, the hot springs which used to be in the upper Tatopani site now started flowing just beside this monastery down the hill.
At the Nepal-Tibet boarder, one of the slopes just behind Tatopani is known as Sangjen Beyul. The area is well known by the locals as another hidden land. Its name is Ne Dunglo Chen, since the form of the mountain is like a conch shell. It is believed that Guru Rinpoché hid termas there. The area is extremely beautiful, but very difficult to reach due to the dangerous road conditions.
Brimdang
When Guru Rinpoché passed through Brimdang, he blessed the site as a retreat place. Later a yogin from the Changter tradtion came from Tibet with a dri, settled there and started a retreat center. Many who practiced there became highly accomplished practitioners. As years passed by, many of the practitioners became family holders and the retreat placed turned into a village. There are still a few yogis.
Brimdang is considered a powerful place. The yogis who practiced there attained many siddhis, such as the power to fly. The locals assure that many nagas, spirits and protectors dwell there. They have a famous annual ritual dance which is one of the traditions that make Brimdang known in Nepal.
Nagthali - Map Location
From Brimdang Guru Rinpoché went to Nagthali, which used to be a popular meditation center for local monks and priests. The highest pass of the area is called Nagthali Danda (3300 m), which is located in an open land from where one can see the Ganesh Himal, Langtang, and other mountain ranges. In Nagthali one can find Guru Rinpoché’s footprints on stone at the spot where he flew to Sedang.
Sedang
In Sedang, also known as Timure, there is a place called Guru Bumpa containing Padmasambhava's hand print. The local tradition says that this monument was built in just one night by animals under Guru Rinpoché’s command. One can find a monastery called Gumba Ling, which used to have 1000 small statues of the Mahaguru (unfortunately many are now missing or have been broken). This monastery was built by monks of the Karma Kagyü lineage from the nearby regions of Kyirong and Lende in Tibet. From Sedang Guru Rinpoché flew to Tibet. Nowadays there’s a bridge connecting both countries.
Briddim
Walking through rhododendron forests and paddocks one will reach the village of Briddim. The locals say that the place was once a lake, and is now a garden where the snakes that once inhabited the waters turned into stone.
This place is connected with the story on how the hidden land, Dagam Namgo, was discovered, as mentioned above. In one of his writings, Mingyur Dorjé mentions the sacred site of Briddim.
“Now for the origin of what is called Langtang a bull is said to have been killed once in Briddim during the consecration feast for the erection of a stupa of gold and silver by one patron. In the evening the bull fled to that secret land by reason of his supernatural knowledge. The valley was discovered by virtue of the fact that the owner followed its trail; for this reason the valley is known under the name Bull Passage—so it is said in the tales of the people of old.”
According to local tales, when Mingyur Dorjé arrived in Langtang, there was a man-eating demon that plagued the village. The locals had long been providing human sacrifices to appease the demon. Mingyur Dorjé drove out the demon, bringing peace to the village.
Having expelled the demon, Mingyur Dorjé built a temple in Langtang under the guidance of Padmasambhava. Unfortunately, though, this temple was later destroyed by a fire. Today, Langtang’s main monastery is Kyanjin Gompa. Although Kyanjin Gompa is highly treasured as the spiritual ornament of the valley by the surrounding community, it’s spiritual value has more and more been replaced by serving as a popular tourist attraction on the Langtang trek. Kyanjin Gompa was luckily not affected by the 2015 earthquake and thus we can still enjoy it’s ancient design and precious statues and thangkas it houses.
En Route to the Beyul
Atisha in Rasuwa
On the way from Kathmandu to Rasuwa one can see many stupas. These were built by Atisha in order to tame any evil forces and bring blessings in such a dangerous road. Atisha went from Syabru to Goljung, to the retreat center called Sangngak Osel Peme Ling.
Tsawarong
This sacred site of the Guru in Nepal is along the Trishuli River on the way to Langtang. Click the link above to find out more.
Langtang via Helambu - Map Location
From the Hyolmo village of Melamchi Ghyang, the adventurous trekker can access Langtang via a nearby pass. This high gain trek takes you from Melamchi to Ghopte where tea houses are available for a nights rest. From Ghopte, you traverse the highest point of the pass, eventually reaching the sacred lake of Gosaikunda.