Princess Bhrkuti

NEPAL

Princess Bhrkuti was a 7th century Nepali princess whose father, the king of Nepal, gave her hand in marriage to Songtsan Gampo (reigned 629–650), founder of the Tibetan empire. The king granted Songtsan Gampo’s wish on the condition that she would be allowed to spread the Dharma in Tibet. Princess Bhrkuti is highly revered by the Tibetans and is known as the Nepali Consort, or simply the Royal Lady. Tibetans also regard her as a manifestation of Tara.
When Princess Bhrkuti went to Tibet, she was accompanied by a caravan of elephants bearing jewels and Buddhist images. Among these images was Jowo Mikyo Dorje, a small bronze statue of Sakyamuni Buddha with the height of an eight-year-old, and a representation of Aksobhya Buddha, which became one of the two most important images venerated in Tibet; it was subsequently enshrined in Ramoche Monastery.
Apart from introducing Buddhism and Buddhist sculpture to Tibet, Princess Bhrkuti is famous for embarking on an extensive building program. She recruited and brought with her several Nepalese craftsmen to build a number of palaces and temples, the most significant being the Potala Palace and Jokhang Temple. Her active involvement in major architectural projects is attested by Tibetan records, and the magnificent examples of architecture which remain to this day.