Ogyen Choling: A Manor in Central Bhutan

Written by Kunzang Choden & Dolma Roder

Perched on the outcrop of a mountain, the Ogyen Choling manor overlooks the picturesque and secluded Tang valley in Bumthang, Central Bhutan. The same family, now in its 20th generation, has had possession of the manor since the 15th Century. Once the home of the religious nobility of the region, the manor has stood witness to a changing nation. Most significantly the social reforms of the 1950s saw the family yield considerable political and economic power.

Ogyen Choling has not only survived these changes but has adapted to these new realities to create a niche for itself as an important site of cultural heritage. Ogyen Choling’s architectural significance, its connection to a fading pre-democratic past and its continued religious relevance makes it the ideal site for the museum which opened to the public in 2001. In this book Françoise Pommaret locates Ogyen Choling in the regional historical context, while Pierre Pichard, provides rich details about the manor’s traditional architecture and the members of the Ogyen Choling family share their memories of growing up and living here.

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Riyang Books is a small, Bhutan- based publishing house owned and operated by the author, Kunzang Choden and her family. It was founded in November 2012 out of a deep love for literature and the written word as well as a desire to create a welcoming space to encourage and support creative work in Bhutan.