| Description |
When you arrive in Haa, you are greeted by three giant identical hills rising steeply to the west, known as Miri Pun Sum, also styled as Miri Pun Suum or sometimes Me Rig Puen Sum: The Three Brothers Hills or The Three Sisters Hills. Located on the border between Kartshog and Uesu Gewog, one can admire the aligned hills in the middle of Haa Valley. For centuries, the Miri Pun Sum has been worshipped as the abode and embodiment of the Rig-sum Gonpo, Lords of the Three Families: with Jampleyang or Manjushiri on the left; Chenrizig or Avalokiteshvara in the middle; and Chana Dorje Vajrapani on the right. These three deities are considered the most important deities in the Vajrayana Buddhist pantheon, Miri Pun Sum symbolizes and emplaces them in the landscape, so they are worshipped as guardian deities protecting the Haa Valley.
Legend has it that people suddenly appeared out of nowhere from Miri Pun Sum, and built the Lhakhang temple of Karpo and Nagpo, which stands in front of the three hills today. It is also believed that this sudden appearance of people from these three hills gave the place its name "Ha".
Locals believe that the three hills themselves embody Buddhist powerful beings, and each is associated with a village as well. The people of the Bji and Kartshog Gewog village block are represented by the hill of Chana Dorji, the Vajrapani bodhisattva; they are known to be darker and tougher than their neighbors. While the notoriously meek people of the Uesu gewog are represented by the hill of Chenrizig, the Avaloketeshvara bodhisattva of compassion. Finally, Samar, Gakiling, and Sangbay gewogs are represented by the hill of Jampelyang, Manjushri bodhisattva of wisdom, to reflect their gentle, down-to-earth, and easygoing nature.
People also believe that the collective welfare of Haaps depends on the condition of Miri Pun Sum, which is why the Haaps protect the three hills with great reverence. Locals believe that the Miri Pun Sum maintain peace in the valley. It is also believed that these three hills are responsible for rain, harvest, and prosperity of the families.
Only when in the presence of these majestic hills can one truly fathom and appreciate this unique, fascinating landscape. Miri Pun Suum is considered a sacred landmark, revered by all Haaps with great respect and devotion. Since time immemorial, Haaps have offered Soel-kha propitiation rituals to Miri Pun Sum. In 2013, under the leadership of the Lhayul-kha people, the Haaps officially erected a Lha-chhim deity shrine in front of Miri Pun Sum to specifically perform Mang-chhoe, a great offering ritual for the welfare of the entire population, or Soel-kha for Miri Pun Sum. This Mang-chhoe is performed annually on the 30th day of the twelfth lunar month. The Lha-chhim is looked after by two administrators whose posts are filled alternately by the residents of Lhayulkha village.
|
| Social and cultural significance |
It is believed that these three hills bring blessings of rain, harvest and prosperity to families. People circumambulate these three magnificent hills as a pilgrimage for various religious beliefs. In the pilgrimage practice of Phye-kor, people circumambulate all three hills from the outside. For Nang-kor they circumambulate the Chenrizig and Chana Dorje together, or Bar-kor to circumambulate only the middle hill, Chenrizig. People firmly believe that if one can circumambulate Miri Pun Sum in a single day, it is equivalent to completing the Boed tsari ney-kor and Boed tsari rong-kor Holy Place pilgrimage in Tibet, and that one will be blessed and eventually escape all realms of hell. Boed tsari ney-kor is the pilgrimage to the major holy sites Pema Koe and Dorje Phamoi Ney, which extends from Tibet to northern India, while Boed tsari rong-kor is a longer pilgrimage to these holy sites that includes the surrounding ridges and mountain passes. Tsari is considered the most difficult of all pilgrimages. The myths, tales, and spiritual values concerning Miri Pun Sum fill local visitors and tourists alike with inspiration and admiration. |
| Community |
Until 1960, the district was also called Ha-jued zhi “the four sections of Haa,” namely the settlements of Bje, Kar-tsho, Uesu and Samar. Today, Haa district is administratively divided into one dungkhag and six gewog village blocks: Bji, Uesu, Kart-sho, Samar, Sang-bay and Gaki-ling. Haa has a rich flora and fauna with more than 250 species of flowering plants. Various crops and livestock sustain the communities across all four seasons. Haa experiences several snowfalls a year. Haa is blessed with more than forty religious and historical sites and is a popular destination for tourists for hiking and trekking in spring and autumn. The people speak Dzongkha and are called Haap/Haaps.
Data contributed by: Ms. Sonam Yangdon, NLAB. |
