Dochula Pass
| Dochu La | |
|---|---|
Dochu La with 108 stupas or chortens in Thimphu on the east west road | |
| Elevation | 3,100 m (10,171 ft) |
| Location | East-West Road from Thimphu to Punakha 27°29'24"N 89°45'1"E |
| Range | Himalayas |
| Coordinates | 27°29′24″N 89°45′01″E / 27.49000°N 89.75028°E |
Location of Dochu La | |
The Dochu La ( Dochu Pass; la means pass in Dzongkha) is a mountain pass in the snow covered Himalayas in Bhutan on the road from Thimphu to Punakha. 108 memorial chortens or stupas, known as the "Druk Wangyal Chortens", were built at the pass by Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuk, the eldest Queen Mother, in memory of Bhutanese soldiers who died in 2003. There is also a monastery, called the Druk Wangyal Lhakhang (temple), built in honour of the fourth Druk Gyalpo (head of the state of Bhutan), Jigme Singye Wangchuck. The open ground in its front yard is a venue for the annual Dochula Druk Wangyel Festival. The pass is adjacent to the country's first Royal Botanical Park.