Overview

As per the history, Pila Goenpo Wangyel, the 12th in line to the descendant of Pema Lingpa, was born to Choeje Pema Rinpoche and mother Geleg Wangzom in 1782. His mother was a daughter of Dungsam Bangtsho Gyelpo who in turn was the descendant of Lhase Tsangma. At the age of 15, he went to Ganteng Goenpa and Tibet to study under Gangteng Trulku Sizhi
Namgyel and 6th Lhalung Sungtruel Tenpai Gyeltshen respectively. At that time, there was a big conflict between Zhabdrung Jigme Drakpa (1791-1830) and the 3rd Sungtruel Yeshey Gyeltshen (1781- 1830). As sister of former being the wife of one of his inlaws in Drametse Choejee, he had the message from Ngawang Phuntsho, the elder brother of Zhabdrung Jigme Drakpa, stressing him to bring hastily along with him some strong and daring group of people to ensure victory of the opponents. Jigme Namgyal Nagtsang in Dungkar So he took his younger brother Pala Gyeltshen and Sumthrang Choejee Thinley to Thimphu and stayed as body guard to Zhabdrung for several years. The conflict came to an end in the 4th month of Bhutanese calendar in 1810. Four months later, while he was trying to write biography of His Holiness the 18th Je Khenpo Jamyang Gyeltshen (1797-1803), his health got deteriorated that compelled him to go to Talo Sanga Choeling to submit himself in front of Zhabdrung for resignation. After that he came back to Dungkar, married with Sonam Pelzom of Jangsa and constructed Khetangbi Naktsang in the same year. Since then it came to be known as Pila Naktsang. It was here in the Khetanbi Naktsang where Jigme Namgyel, the predestined hero and an architect of Bhutan, was born iToday the Naktsang is also called Jigme Namgyel Naktsang.