Sacred Cliff Narrative

Most of the major sacred sites in Bhutan are cliff faces. The sacred cliffs are considered to be the haunts of powerful territorial deities before the Buddhist era. After the spread of Buddhism, these territorial deities are said to have been tamed by the Buddhist teachings and their habitat transformed into sacred places. The cliffs are therefore considered centres of power, which can bring about fast spiritual realization. Some cliffs are also believed to contain religious treasures buried in them by Guru Rinpoche or some great spiritual figures. There are both oral and written accounts of how the cliffs have been the residence of malevalent spirits and how they are now powerful sacred sites.