Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal - Relations With Ladakh

Relations With Ladakh

Sengge Namgyal, who ruled Ladakh from 1616–1623 and 1624–1642, was a devotee of the Ralung lineage of the Drukpa Kagyu school. Like Bhutan, Ladakh then had differences with the new Gaden Photrang government of Tibet established by the 5th Dalai Lama which attempted to annex Ladakh An invitation was sent to Bhutan requesting Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal to become the state priest. As Shabdrung was occupied confronting an invasion from Tibet and consolidating the new Bhutanese state, he sent Choje Mukzinpa as his representative to the court of Ladakh. Several religious estates were offered to the Bhutanese in present day Ladakh Zangskar and western Tibet ( Ngaris skorsum ) which was then part of Ladakh. One of them, Tagna or "Tiger's Nose" monastery established by Choje Mukzinpa, became the main seat of the Southern Drukpa Kagyu tradition in Ladakh. This monastery still preserves artifacts and documents related to Bhutan — some of them said to have been gifted by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal.