The 𝘓𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘬𝘢 𝘉𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘰 (Lingka Archery Range) at Wangduechhoeling Palace stands as a site of profound significance, having once served as the personal archery range for His Majesty Jigme Wangchuck (1905-1952).
An enthusiastic sportsman, His Majesty Jigme Wangchuck was most renowned for his passion for archery, which would later become the national game of the country. His Majesty spent weeks engaged in archery, maintaining ranges at all his palaces for leisure. When the physical toll on the participants became too severe, the players would offer a collection of 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘢𝘮𝘴 (coins) to respectfully petition for rest. In these moments, Her Majesty Ashi Phuntsho Choden (1911-2003), would intercede to end the game for the time being, according to courtiers from those days.
Beyond this, the ground was also the venue for the annual ‘Wangduechhoeling Mela’, an annual event at Wangduechhoeling Palace that traditionally attracted crowds comparable to the Punakha Dromchoe. Plans are on to reinitiate the festival. This historical ground reached a significant milestone last year as it hosted the 118th National Day celebration, the first ever in Bumthang, marking a symbolic full circle for the 𝘓𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘬𝘢 𝘉𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘰, a site now recognized as the Tendrelthang of Bumthang.
𝘐𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴, 𝘸𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘣𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘦 𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘞𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘥𝘶𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘩𝘰𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘗𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦, 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮.