Mendegang: A Graceful Ancestral Homestay in Bhutan's Ancient Capital

Mendegang Heritage Home is the ancestral seat of an old noble family from the Punakha region, Bhutan’s ancient capital. Several generations of the Mendegang family have served the kings of Bhutan with distinction and include prominent members of Bhutanese society, including a former Prime Minister and a high-ranking reincarnated monk. The home stands on a small, flat piece of land in the hilly area of Mendegang. This name describes a raised hill resembling a mandala (a mandala is a religious Himalayan Buddhist symbol of cosmic harmony and balance). It’s believed that from a distance, the hill where this graceful heritage home stands resembles a holy cosmic Buddhist mandala. This auspicious coincidence made the ancestral home an essential part of the communal life of the surrounding villages. An important feature of the house for local villagers who often gather at Mendegang for periodic religious celebrations is the three shrine rooms within the home dedicated to Maitreya, the Future Buddha, Shakyamuni, Prince Siddhartha who became the Buddha of our current eon, and the patron saint of Bhutan, Guru Rimpoche, or Padmasambhava, the “Lotus-Born,” as he’s also known.

The Mendegang family has preserved and cared for these beautiful examples of Bhutanese religious art for generations. Each shrine, decorated with wall-to-wall displays of Buddhist murals drawn from the Drukpa Kagyu and Nyingma Buddhist texts, is painted in mineral and earth pigments.

Mendegang Heritage has a beautiful Buddhist stupa that greets visitors on arrival. Close up, the home resembles a colorful and stately Swiss chalet. Purple and white wisterias and pink, red, and white hanging bougainvilleas drape and lean over the walls, providing a colorful welcome in the spring and fall.

Meals at the table feature ingredients such as beans, maize, onions, and leafy greens grown on the property’s lovingly tended gardens, as well as fruits like pomegranates (in season) grown on its orchard, providing for a genuine farm-to-table experience.

This beautiful home is part of Bhutan’s cultural heritage, embodying the essence of the agricultural Punakha region. Visitors can immerse themselves in the local lifestyle and explore the serene environment of the Punakha Valley, making it a unique option for those seeking an authentic Bhutanese experience.