Jakar

Jakar (Dzongkha: བྱ་ཀར་, romanized: Bya-kar) is a town in the central-eastern part of Bhutan. It is the main town of Bumthang District and home to an important building called Jakar Dzong, which is a big fortress used for important meetings and traditions.

The name Jakar means "white bird." This name comes from an old story about how the town began. Long ago, around the year 1549, people were looking for a good place to build a monastery. Legend says that when a white bird landed in one spot, it was a sign that this was the right and lucky place to build. This event helped the town get its special name.

Today, Jakar is an important place for the people of Bhutan. It helps connect different parts of the country and holds many traditions that are important to the culture and history of Bhutan.

History

Further information: Bumthang Kingdom and Bumthang Province

Jakar is home to Chakhar Lhakhang, a small temple that marks the spot where an important Indian ruler once invited a wise teacher to Bhutan. The temple we see today was built much later by a special teacher named Dorje Lingpa.

The town’s name, Jakar, means “white bird.” This name comes from a story about a white bird that appeared long ago, showing the perfect place to build a monastery around the year 1549. Nearby, there are many important places connected to Buddhist history, including temples with special prints left by the teacher Guru Rinpoche and monasteries said to have been built overnight by a wise king. A large and important school for monks can also be seen from Jakar.

Geography

Jakar is a town found in the Bumthang (Choekhor) Valley inside the Chhoekhor Gewog area in central Bumthang. Even though it is its own small town called a thromde, the main office for the Choekhor Gewog is just north of Jakar. North of the town is Wangchuck Centennial Park, a special protected area of Bhutan.

The town has a subtropical highland climate (Köppen: Cwb).

Transport

Jakar is connected by a road that links to the main highway of Bhutan, called the Lateral Road.

The town is home to Bathpalathang Airport, which was part of Bhutan’s government plans from 2008. The airport faced many delays before finally opening its first flights in December 2011. These flights marked an important moment for Bhutan, happening on the country's national day. However, the first commercial flight did not succeed in making a profit.

Main sights

Jakar Dzong

Built in 1667, Jakar Dzong stands on a hill above the town of Jakar. This big fortress, also called a dzong, is now used for important government work. It might be the largest dzong in Bhutan, measuring more than 1,500 metres (4,900 feet) around. ^: 168

Tourism

Jakar is in the big, green Bumthang (Choekhor) Valley, which makes it a favorite place for visitors. Because of this, the town has many nice hotels, craft shops, and guest houses.

The market, called the bazaar, is found on a street with one-story buildings in a part of town named Chamkhar. Plans were made to build a new market with three-story traditional buildings in an area called Dekiling, and this was supposed to be finished in 2010.

Culture

Jakar is part of the culture of eastern Bhutan, just like nearby areas. The main language used in schools and offices is Dzongkha, but people in Jakar also speak local languages such as Bumthang and Brokkat. One special thing about Jakar is that it is well-known across Bhutan for making bright, colorful woven wool items called yethra.

Schools

There are 19 schools in the area. Among them, two are higher secondary schools, three are middle secondary schools, and two are lower secondary schools. The remaining schools are community schools.