HISTORY OF SIIiHIM AND ITS RULERS. 



hall of the hPhrul-pahi-Lha-khang monastery, which is supported by 

 four immense wooden pillars,* besides 160 small ones: the building is 

 seven stories high. These four pillars, that had defied the efforts of 

 several thousand men to raise, Guru Tashe's eldest son succeeded in 

 erecting in their proper positions. For this exploit his name was 

 changed to Jo-khye-Bumsa.f In Sakya Khy(i-Bumsa married Guru- 

 mo, the daughter of the hierarch. Shortly after the whole family 

 removed to a place, north-west of Khambagong, called Pa-shi, where 

 they built a monastery for -100 numks and left one of the brothers in 

 charge : the others went on to Pliari, Avhei'e they built the Samdub 

 Lhakang monastery : the father died here. Three of tlie brothers, 

 Se-shing, Tsendong, and Kar-tshogs, migrated towards Hah in Bhu- 

 tan, while Khyu-Bumsa proceeded first to Khang-bu Takloong, on 

 the western branch of the Mochu, and then finally settled at Chumbi, 

 where he built a house, the site alone of which now remains, to the 

 north of the present palace. 



From the first three brothers are descended the Bep-Tshan-Gye 

 families alluded to subsequently. 



It may here be mentioned that the worship of ancestors is in 

 some families incumbent: the descendants of the three brothers continue 

 the worship of their common ancestor, Guru-Tashe, and are known as 

 the Tashe-pho-la (the worshippers of the ancestor Tashe), while Khy^- 

 Bumsa's family, being separated from the main branch, fell back on 

 the worship of Pa-shi, where their first temple was, and are now 

 called Pa-shi-pho-la, 



Several stories are told of the miraculous strength of Khy^- 

 Bumsa, and his victory over Ngag-wang-ge-pii-pul-bar, a rival 

 Bhutanese hero, which resulted in the present worship of Mt. Massong 

 by the inhabitants of Chumbi and Hah. The Phari people worship 

 Chumulhari. 



Being childless, Khy^-Bumsa consulted his Lamas and was told 

 to propitiate the heads of the Lepcha people. Accordingly, with a 

 following of seventeen persons only, he crossed the Yak-la and Penlong 

 and reached Sata-la near Rankpo: here he enquired who were the 

 heads of the Lepchas, and was informed that they wei'e Thekong Tek 

 and his wife, Nyekong-Nal, but where they dwelt he failed to ascer- 

 tain. Proceeding towards Gantok, they came across a very old 

 man quite black from tilling his recently burnt field, but could get 

 nothing out of him. Suspecting he knew more than he chose to 



• These four pillars are called collectively " Kd-wa-ming-Ches-zhi ; " individually 

 the first pillar, called KarpoH Zum-lags (white), came from Khongbu ; the second, Serpod- 

 Zum-lags (yellow), from the Mochu valley ; the third, Marpo-Tagd Zag (red), from Nyanam 

 (near Nepal) ; and the fourth, Nakpo-Khun-shes (black), from Ladak. 



t Jho-vo-Khyed-uBum-bSags, " the superior of 10,000 heroes." 



